Author's note: Hey guys! I just wanted to say thank you for all the support for my story! I have been getting so many views! It truly means a lot! I guess you can say that the story is beginning to get crazy! All I will say is that I would be paying attention for the next few chapters… a lot is about to go down….. alright here it is chapter 9:)
The buzzer just went off.
The competition is officially over.
"The winner is…. Asher!" Inkling announces.
The Octonauts clap despite of what just happened to Christina.
Christina missed her board and has landed into the water.
As soon as she hit the water, Asher dives into action.
He knew that he had to act fast in order for her to survive.
And he was the closest to her since he was already in the water.
He jumps off of his surf board and dives into the water to find Christina.
Right at the same time, Kwazii hauls tail to the water, with Barnacles right behind him.
Asher holds his breath while he is swimming around in the water.
He was trying so hard to remain calm and to not panic.
He was now an Octonaut and he would be getting into situations similar to these in the future.
He knew it was coming, but not this early on.
I mean he just got here yesterday after all!
Today was his first full day!
Although he was hurriedly searching for Christina, he couldn't help but admire the beautiful under sea life.
This wasn't his first time underwater, he has went underwater several times on missions with his parents and vacations that he has been on.
It reminded him of the many times he went on missions with his parents.
He missed going on missions with his parents, helping them with footage but he wouldn't trade this opportunity to be an Octonaut for anything.
The under sea life has and will always be breathtaking.
He continues to swim around in the area until he finally sees her floating along with the water.
It was clear that she is unconscious.
Asher swims as fast as he could to her.
Although the two of them have had some head clashing since he literally stepped on board, he couldn't just not help her.
He had to help her.
Even though he was still very confused on what her problem is with him.
Even though it seems like she hates him, he knew that he had to help her.
No matter who, anyone that is in danger that needs help, he would always try to do everything that he can to help them.
No matter what because he believed in always doing the right thing.
Asher picks her up and begins to swim to the surface.
Although everything is lighter in the water, it was still difficult to carry Christina to the surface while also trying to swim at the same time.
Asher works out and is very athletic but it was still challenging.
Asher gave everything he had in him to get her to the surface as fast as he could.
Asher was on the verge of having to open his mouth, he was about out of air.
He couldn't breathe, but he kept going, for the sake of Christina.
It was all up to him.
He felt a huge weight weighing on him.
Asher finally reaches the surface.
The second that he did, he grasped for air.
He kept panting, trying to catch his breath.
He reaches for his surf board floating on top of the water and places Christina on it.
He also grabs Christina's surf board and places it by Christina's feet.
Asher begins to push Christina on the board to the shore.
He sees Kwazii and Barnacles running through the water trying to get to him.
Water was splashing everywhere that's how fast they were running.
They were almost to their stomachs in the water when Asher finally reaches them.
"She is unconscious! She doesn't seem to be breathing!" Asher says trying to catch his breath.
"Get her to Peso ASAP!" Barnacles commands.
"It is going to be okay me chest of gold…" Kwazii says with a tear falling from his eye while brushing through her soaked dark brown hair.
Barnacles and Kwazii help Asher push Christina to the shore.
Once they make it to the shore, the three push the board into a sand bank faraway enough so that the water wouldn't get in the way.
The remaining Octonauts rush over however, they don't crowd too much so that Christina has space.
"I need to give her CPR!" Peso says urgently.
"I got this Peso!" Asher says suddenly.
Asher immediately begins to give her CPR.
He does mouth-to-mouth several times.
Surprising, he knew what he was doing.
He continues to do so and Christina suddenly begins to cough up water.
Christina looked a little terrified but other than that she seemed okay.
The Octonauts sigh in relief.
"I am here …me chest of gold…." Kwazii says relived and places his paw on her shoulder as she continued to try and catch her breath.
The very first thing that she says when she finally could breath again she says, "Did I win?" She asked.
"I am afraid not." Barnacles replies.
"Dang it!" Christina sighs.
"You need to be more concerned about your health!" Peso says concerned.
"Peso is right. Your health is way more important than any competition!" Barnacles agrees.
"You seem okay Christina. Other than you drowning and having to receive CPR, you will be okay." Peso says.
"Thank you Peso-" Christina says then gets cut off.
"Ummm… Peso didn't give you CPR…" Kwazii points out.
"Huh? Then who did?" Christina asks confused.
"I did." Asher speaks up.
Christina sighs in a sarcastic tone.
"Thanks… but I didn't need saving." Christina says in a sarcastic tone.
Asher is completely dumbfounded.
"If I wasn't already in the water, I wouldn't have gotten to you as fast as I did! Otherwise you could have died!" Asher says enraged.
"I don't need you to come in and save me like you are a big superhero! This is real life!" Christina argues.
"Can you just tell me what your problem is with me? Ever since I stepped on board the Octopod, you have been hateful towards me. I have only been here two days and you have been acting this way before you have even got to know me! Just say it! Why do you hate me Christina?" Asher snaps back getting irritable.
"I don't know….I just don't trust you! I don't even know you!" Christina yells but her voice is straining.
While the two yell at each other, the other Octonauts look around at each other awkwardly.
Barnacles decides that he needs to step in.
Octonauts do not argue with no another.
It is okay to disagree sometimes on the little things but to scream at each other is unacceptable.
Especially making a scene in front of the entire crew.
"Asher, Christina that is enough! Enough with the arguing!" Barnacles says sternly.
Asher and Christina stop arguing.
"Octonauts, it is time to return back to the Octopod." Barnacles announces.
While the Octonauts start walking to the Gups, Barnacles pulls the two aside.
"I do not know what is going on between you two, but it has to stop." Barnacles says seriously.
Asher and Christina nod back at their Captain.
Barnacles turns away from them and Asher and Christina glare at each other when the rest of the crew aren't looking.
*A few hours later*
Everyone is back at the Octopod.
Everyone enjoyed the surfing competition despite Christina's little scare and the Asher and Christina feud.
The Octonauts needed to take a break from the twin search.
It felt good to do something fun.
Shellington is in his lab once again back to work.
Currently, he is waiting for the guy to call him back letting him know whether or not his information matches what Shellington has.
Shellington is feeling very anxious.
He could have possibly found half of the key to finding the treasure!
If the guy is one of the twins, it would be a HUGE breakthrough in the treasure hunt!
All they would have to do is find the female twin then they go to Hawaii to find the treasure!
Seems easy enough!
Shellington sits at one of his lab stools and begins taping his paws on the table.
That's how antsy he was becoming.
He knew that he shouldn't be worrying that much because he is 99% sure that this guy is one of the twins based on his blog posts and how similar his story is to what Calico Jack told him.
He would be totally shocked if it wasn't him.
Suddenly, Shellington's phone starts to ring.
He flinches, the sudden noise startled him since he was totally zoned out in thought.
He answers it.
"Hello."
"Hello Shellington. It is me. I am afraid I have bad news…." The man says.
"I looked over the file that you sent me a few hours ago and everything lined up… except for the birth year. You said the twins were born 21 years ago. I was born 24 years ago…." The man explains.
Shellington sighs.
He was disappointed.
He was so confused.
It was supposed to be him!
He was 99% positive that it was him!
It didn't make sense!
All that research for nothing.
"I apologize that I wasted your time. Thank you for your time." Shellington said feeling down.
"There is no reason to apologize! I may not have found my twin but I know someday I will!" The man replies.
"Good luck on your search!" The man adds.
"Thank you! Good luck on yours as well." Shellington replies.
Shellington hangs up.
He sighs and sits back down on of the lab stools and put his hands on his face.
He was so disappointed of the outcome.
He was so close!
He knew that this search would be difficult.
He just felt so disappointed in himself.
Even though that it was not his fault that this guy wasn't one of the twins.
Shellington grabs a wooden pencil and begins tapping it on the table, this helps him think.
He started to think of what to do next.
What websites should he look at next?
What adoption agencies should he call next?
Oh so much to do!
Then…. suddenly…. Shellington stops flicking the pencil on the table.
It was as if the world suddenly stopped.
He was so zoned in.
He thinks about something.
He realizes something.
Something that could change EVERYTHING.
His instincts are starting to kick in.
He has an idea to test an experiment.
He has a hypothesis to prove.
He realized that a lot of work would have to be put into this in order to prove if his theory is correct.
However, he knew that he couldn't tell the Octonauts about it until he knew that there was any truth in it.
Shellington did know that Barnacles would have to know what is going on because he would have to be gone for an entire day.
Shellington decides to text Barnacles that they need to talk privately tonight.
He pulls out his phone immediately and does so.
Almost a minute after he sends it, he gets a response.
It says, "Of course, meet me in my bedroom at 9pm sharp." Barnacles' text read.
—
*A few hours later in the kitchen*
It is now dinner time and the Octonauts are all in the kitchen eating together.
The room was filled with various conversations.
The Octonauts continued to get to know Asher.
Asher and Christina still haven't spoken to each other since the surfing competition.
However, they both knew that they would have to speak to each other again eventually and that could not just not speak to each other for the rest of their time on board.
The Vegimals are now collecting the dinner plates and they are about to replace them with desserts.
Tonight's dessert is pecan pie.
"Tunip, don't forget to give Asher and Christina apple pie instead of pecan pie. They are both allergic to pecans." Shellington reminds Tunip.
"Chirpa Cheapa!" Tunip replies understanding the message.
Tunip and the rest of the Vegimals begin to pass out desserts.
After a few minutes everyone has a dessert sitting in front of them.
Shellington decides that it is time to tell the Octonauts the bad news.
"Octonauts, I am afraid that I have bad news." Shellington speaks up.
"Bad….news?" Peso gulps.
"Yes, I am afraid so. The guy that I was 99% positive that he was one of the twins to unlock the treasure. He said that all of the information on the file matched his…. Except the birth year. The twins were born 21 years ago…. He was born 24 years ago…" Shellington reveals.
The Octonauts sigh in disappointment.
"Blast!" Kwazii exclaims frustrated.
"That's alright Shellington. Don't blame yourself for this, it isn't your fault. I know we are all doing what we can to find these twins. We will find the twins, it just may take more time." Barnacles says.
"Barnacles is correct, we have to continue our search and keep researching! It may take some time, but I know that we will find them!" Inkling adds.
"We cannot give up mateys!" Kwazii exclaims confidently.
Asher and Christina take their first bite of dessert and swallow it.
Once they do, they both suddenly begin to itch all over, their eyes turn red and start watering, and they start coughing.
"What is going on here mateys?" Kwazii says confused.
"Was that pecan pie?" Christina asks.
"I thought I got apple pie!" Asher says confused.
Dashi walks over and grabs both of their desserts and tastes them to see for herself.
"Both of these desserts are pecan pie!" Dashi exclaims.
Tweak tastes her dessert.
"This is apple pie!" Tweak exclaims.
Peso tastes his dessert.
"This is also apple pie! The desserts must have gotten mixed up!" Peso says figuring out what happened.
Tunip and the Vegimals give the Octonauts guilty faces.
"Cheapa cheap chirp." The Vegimals say together in unison.
"The Vegimals said that they are very sorry for the mixup." Shellington translates.
"It's okay Vegimals, I know that you didn't do it on purpose," Christina says nicely.
"No harm done little dudes! But seriously though, we aren't doing to die right?" Asher says.
"No Asher, you and Christina are not going to die. You two are just having an allergic reaction to the pecans. I will give you two some cream and medicine to help with the pain." Peso replies.
"Oh thank goodness….. thanks a lot Peso!" Asher says relieved.
"Yes, thank you Peso!" Christina says also.
"I always help anyone who is hurt or sick no matter what!" Peso says cheerfully.
—
*A few hours later*
Shellington is on his way to Barnacles' room to talk to him about his theory.
Honestly, he was kinda nervous to tell Barnacles.
He was scared that Barnacles would think that it was crazy, bizarre.
But he had to tell Barnacles.
And if he never tests his theory, he would never have an answer.
Shellington walks the hall then goes up the Octo-chute to get to the highest level.
Kwazii sees him walk by.
He sees Shellington go up the Octo-chute that goes to his and Barnacles' pod.
Kwazii went to the kitchen to pick up some fish biscuits before bed.
He couldn't help himself!
He wasn't sure why Shellington was going to Barnacles' room this late.
It was past curfew!
Curfew is at 8pm and it's almost 9pm!
Everyone is supposed to be in their rooms!
Kwazii knew that he was breaking the rules too, but going to the kitchen to get snack is one thing….but going to the Captain's bedroom is an entire different story.
What was they meeting about so late?
What was it that could not wait until morning?
Shellington reaches the end of the Octo-chute tunnel and lands in Barnacles room.
"Hello Captain! I hope it isn't too late to talk." Shellington says starting to feel guilty.
"Oh….not at all Shellington! Let's talk." Barnacles says motioning over to the edge of his bed.
The two sit down.
"So, what is going on Shellington?" Barnacles asks confused.
Shellington breathes deeply.
"Okay, right after I found out that guy wasn't one of the twins…. I started thinking deeply. And I mean deeply. I went into deep thought about all the information that Calico Jack told us."
Barnacles nods.
"And after a few minutes, I realized something. Something that I missed before. My instincts started to kick in. But… it all sounds crazy. You might think that I am insane. I have to go Los Angeles, California tomorrow to check and see if my theory is correct or that I am just crazy. I know it is last minute, but I have to go. I hope you understand." Shellington explains.
"Alright…. But I am still confused…. I have to ask….What is your theory?" Barnacles asks.
The room goes silent for about ten seconds.
Shellington breathes deeply while closing his eyes then opening them again.
"What I am about to tell you, could change…..everything…"
-TO BE CONTINUED-