Author's note: Hello everyone! So this is a BIG chapter! I have been looking forward to writing chapter since I first started this story. It is finally here! Once you read the chapter, you will understand why haha. You will be at the edge of your seats with this chapter…..Anyways, I would be paying attention when reading this chapter! Please review and let me know what you think! I love hearing your thoughts! Finally…here it is….
*In the middle of the night*
Asher is lying in bed trying to sleep and he suddenly hears voices in the hallway.
His curiosity and sense of adventure kicks in.
He pulls the sheets out, gets up out of bed, and quietly walks to the door.
He peeks in the peep hole and sees Barnacles and Shellington walking by.
He sees them both walk inside Shellington's lab.
Asher decides to investigate.
He quietly opens the door.
He tip toes to the closed lab door.
Asher puts his ear to the wall but he couldn't hear what they were saying.
Asher felt so tempted to open that door.
He wanted to know so badly what was going on.
However, he knew that it would be a terrible idea to bust in there and cause a scene when it maybe nothing at all.
Asher did not want to risk getting fired either.
He worked so hard to get this job and the opportunity to be here and he could not lose that.
"Hmmmm….weird. What are they doing at one in the morning? Something is up, and I'm going to find out what." Asher thinks to himself.
Barnacles and Shellington are in Shellington's lab.
They decided to open the results together.
Plus, they thought that it was best they went to the lab to open the results.
Which was somewhere more private so that they didn't wake anyone up.
After all, it is 1:30 in the morning!
The two are sitting on bar stools.
Shellington breathes deeply with his hands on his face leaning on the table.
Barnacles looks over at Shellington.
"Are you ready?"
Shellington looks up at Barnacles.
"I am now, Captain."
Barnacles picks the envelope up from the table.
Shellington holds the envelope from the left side, Barnacles holds it from the right.
The two finally open the envelope together.
The room goes dead silent.
So quiet, that the ocean sounds could not be heard.
After a few minutes passed by, what they see makes their hearts stop beating.
The words printed on the envelope changes their outlooks on two people forever.
They had to read it multiple times to process it and to make sure what they read was actually correct.
The results read: "DNA Match Test Positive. Christina Marie Morris and Asher Scott Smith are FULL BLOODED FRATERNAL TWINS.
"Jumping….. jellyfish." Shellington said dumbfounded.
"Ohhh…. my…. goodness…." Barnacles says in full shock.
"Captain…. I was right all along….."
"You were right! Shellington, your instincts were bang on!"
Shellington begins to shed tears.
"Are you alright Shellington?" Barnacles asked concerned.
Shellington sighs.
"It's just that…. I wanted to be right…. Then again I didn't. If it weren't for my instincts…. Asher and Christina…. Would have never known…." Shellington cries.
"That is deep…. I know you don't know what to think right now…." Barnacles says.
"This is just a lot to take in…. But why I am I the one to say that when it is not even me that's life is about to change forever….." Shellington sobs putting his hands in his face.
"I know….." Barnacles adds. "We have to tell them. In the morning. We can't hold off any longer. They have to know the truth."
"You are absolutely right Captain. That's what I was about to say. We will have to get the two away from the rest of the crew for while to do so. We can't tell them in front of everyone. That would be wrong. They will need time to process this. Inkling needs to be present as well."
"I agree with you 100%. Inkling will be attending. I will explain everything to him in the morning. But no one else. Us two, Inkling, and Asher and Christina. That's it. No one else needs to be there." Barnacles says.
"I still cannot even fathom that… I was right. It's just so….crazy. I thought I was right but then I thought that my theory was too bizarre and was a little far fetched." Shellington says crying.
"That's why I was so scared to open the envelope. I knew that if I was right, it meant way more than a positive DNA test. It mean everything was about to change forever. It would change the outlook of the treasure hunt, the crew and most importantly, it would change the very lives of two people forever. I just wonder how they will react Captain…." Shellington adds.
"That is scary indeed Shellington. I am still in shock as well…" Barnacle agrees.
"And we thought we were the ones that are shocked. Just wait until we tell Asher and Christina…" Shellington says suspenseful.
*That morning (few hours later)*
It is now morning.
Barnacles and Shellington managed to get a few hours of sleep in.
However, it wasn't enough. They are both still extremely exhausted.
But they had a long day ahead of them all.
They had to do something that they never thought that they would have to do.
Something both of them disliked having to be the ones to tell them but if they didn't tell them, no one else ever would.
Because no one else knows.
Everyone is in the HQ.
"Octonauts, today Kwazii is going to lead a mission. You will be going to the Coral Reef to explore it's environment. Peso will also be administrating check ups to all the sea creatures in the area. I have some important business to attend to." Barnacles announces to the crew.
"Wait, where's Shellington?" Tweak asks looking around the room.
"And where is the Professor?" Dashi asks confused.
"They had some business to take care of this morning…" Barnacles answers.
No one questions where they are again.
"Speaking of missing things, has anyone seen my toothbrush by any chance? It disappeared off of the face of the Earth yesterday." Asher says.
Christina looks over at Asher.
"Wait… mine is missing too. I thought you took it just to make me mad…." Christina accuses him.
"I didn't take your toothbrush! Why would I take your toothbrush when I don't even have my own? Especially if your toothbrush has obviously been used!" Asher exclaims.
"Alright mateys! Last one to the Coral Reef is a rotten fish egg!" Kwazii exclaims running to the Octo-chute.
Everyone follows them.
Barnacles pulls Asher and Christina to the side.
"You two are coming with me." Barnacles says in a tense tone.
"Is everything okay Captain?" Christina asks.
"Did we do something wrong?" Asher asked.
"There is something that we have to tell you." Barnacles answers.
*At the Coral Reef*
Everyone is swimming around the Coral Reef exploring the area.
It was a beautiful day in the Ocean.
The Sun was shining through the water and beamed down on the Octonauts.
Peso is giving checkups to the sea creatures in the coral reef.
Kwazii is supervising over everything and Dashi swims up to him.
"Kwazii, where are the others?" Dashi asked worriedly.
"That be a good question…. All I know is that Barnacles had to take care of something this morning. And that Shellington and Inkling had something to take care of as well." Kwazii replied.
Dashi looks around at everyone in the area.
"But the real question is…where are Asher and Christina?" She asked.
Kwazii glances around the area.
"I thought they were right behind us….Dashi, something is going on. Something isn't right. I feel it in me pirate bones." Kwazii says.
"There is something that Barnacles isn't telling me….. and us."
*In the meeting room*
Barnacles leads Asher and Christina to the meeting room.
Barnacles opens the door.
This room was mainly used for formal meetings, it wasn't used all the time.
It has a meeting table along with ten chairs.
The extra chairs are stacked up by the wall.
There were only five chairs at the table.
Three on one side, two on the other.
When the door opens, it reveals that Inkling and Shellington are in the room, waiting for them.
Inkling and Shellington are sitting on one side, the side with three chairs.
There is a seat in the middle that is empty.
Barnacles goes and sits down in the third chair.
Asher and Christina go sit on the opposite side of the table in the other two chairs.
The two could tell something was wrong.
The mood in the room was gray.
Both of them could feel it.
"So, why are we here? I apologized to Asher!" Christina exclaimed.
"Sort of…" Asher sighs throwing his hands up.
Inkling and Shellington both eye Barnacles.
"I am afraid we are not here to discuss you two's ongoing feud." Barnacles says in a serious tone.
Asher and Christina give Barnacles confused looks.
"So why are we even here then?" Asher says demanding answers.
"Seriously, I better not be getting fired over this attention seeking guy!" Christina exclaims giving Asher a look.
Asher has had enough of this girl.
I mean come on, what did he do to the girl to make her so mad?
This feud was never ending.
"You really think I am getting you fired? Why the heck would I want to get you fired when I have only been here for two days? I am not out to get you! I am not your enemy!" Asher pleads.
The two finally shut up.
"Asher, Christina. Shellington has some news to share. It was all his doing so it would be reasonable if he is the one who shares." Inkling says.
"I am so lost…" Christina thinks to herself.
Asher pulls his hair brush out of his pocket and begins to brush his hair.
"Seriously! Now is the perfect time to brush your hair?" Christina snaps sarcastically.
"You're the one to talk!" Asher snaps back pointing to what is in Christina's hand.
A hairbrush.
Christina looks down at what is in her hand and she groans.
"Ah, you got me. Wait, when did I get this out? Dang it! Seriously, stop copying me!" Christina argues.
"I am not copying you! I always brush my hair! Don't all normal human beings brush their hair? I have to have neat hair!" Asher argues back.
Barnacles, Inkling and Shellington all give each other looks.
This was seriously getting annoying.
"Asher, Christina! That is enough!" Barnacles screams.
Asher and Christina stop arguing.
The room goes awkwardly silent.
Shellington clears his throat.
He looks Asher and Christina in the eyes.
The two could see the nervousness in his eyes.
Something was off.
Something was not right.
Shellington breathes in deeply.
"Okay, to begin, the past few days I have been performing massive researches on the treasure and on searching for the duet aka the twins. Various times, I thought I was close. I thought I found the twins. Each time was a failure. I was beginning to think that it was a lost cause to find them. That it was impossible. Then I got into deep thought about everything that Calico Jack told us about the twins. Deep thought as in deep thought!"
"Then I realized something. A possibility. Perhaps a scary possibility. I was shocked at first. I was also was thinking that there was no possible way it could be true. So, I realized that I had to get some answers. I had to know. Then before I even realized it, I was in Los Angeles. I brought with me two DNA samples. In a way, I wanted to just turn around and go back. But I knew I couldn't. This was the only way that we would know the truth."
"Wait we?" Christina says confused.
"I am so lost….." Asher groans.
Shellington was now dreading even more telling them.
This wasn't going to be any easier.
"Once I turned in the DNA Samples, I still had other work to do. I called an Adoption Agency. I asked some questions. The questions I asked, would also back up my theory."
"As I continued to ask the questions… it all started to add up. Everything was falling into place. I realized my instincts could have been right…. But nothing would be for sure until the DNA test results came back. That was the true test."
"Wait, so why are you telling us this whole backstory now?" Asher asks.
"Why didn't you just tell us before? I am so lost….." Christina adds.
"Because I didn't want to tell you two anything or until there was any truth in it."
"Truth in what?" Christina demands.
"Shellington wondered, if you two were actually related….." Barnacles says stepping in.
"What?" Christina says confused.
"Finally, when the day was almost over, I got the call. The test results were ready. When I returned to the Octopod, Barnacles and I opened the results together."
Shellington breathes deeply.
"But it's bigger than that! Much much bigger! When we opened the test results, both of our hearts literally stopped beating….Christina, Asher, you are indeed the duet….. you are the twins!" Shellington says finally letting the secret out..
Asher and Christina turn their heads to look at each other.
"TWINS?" They both gasp.
Suddenly, the door bangs open.
Kwazii appears.
"What tis be going on in here?"
Kwazii looks over at Asher and Christina.
They looked like they just saw ghosts.
Something wasn't right.
He knew it.
Barnacles get up out of his seat and goes outside in the hall taking Kwazii with him.
"Captain, I know something be up. Please. Tell me!" Kwazii pleads.
Barnacles hesitates.
"I would Kwazii. I would if I could. However, we are in the middle of something right now. I am afraid that it has to wait." Barnacles says.
"Please don't tell me that me chest of gold is getting fired! Me chest of gold cannot be fired!" Kwazii exclaims being overdramatic.
Barnacles throws his paws in the air.
"Why is everyone thinking that Asher and Christina are getting fired? Kwazii, no ones is getting fired okay! I can assure you what is currently going on is far from them being fired." Barnacles assures him.
"But I can I go see her for just a second! Please Captain!" Kwazii begs like a young child.
After all, he is still a child at heart.
"I am afraid that will have to wait as well. Now really isn't the time."
"Yeow! Aw fine … Captain. But you better tell me what in the seven seas is going on…." Kwazii says seriously.
"I promise you Kwazii…. You will know…. Everyone will know….." Barnacles assures.
Kwazii turns around and walks in the opposition's direction.
Barnacles opens the door and sits back down where he once was minutes before.
"How in the world are we twins? I am not even adopted! It doesn't make any sense!" Christina exclaims.
Shellington sighs.
"I am afraid to be the one to tell you this, but you are indeed adopted. The Adoption Agency said they were required to separate a set of twins, male and female precisely twenty one years ago. The twins birthdays matches yours. They explained to me that with normal cases they wouldn't separate twins but with the treasure and everything, the biological parents and the state of Hawaii required them to do so. I even asked if your names were on their files and they were. And it is on your birth certificate as well. Both of you were born in Hawaii. Not Sydney, Australia and Washington DC, United States."
Tears are going down Christina's face.
Asher was froze.
He was in shock.
He didn't know what to think.
He didn't know how to feel.
"What is happening?" Christina cries.
"What made you even think we were twins?" Asher demands.
"When Asher first came on board the Octopod, noticed you two had so much in common. Same likes, dislikes the same allergies. You two were even finishing each others sentences. Then Dashi showed me that you have the same birthdays just the other day. Once I saw that, I knew it had to be more than a coincidence." Shellington answered.
"I am still quite blown away Shellington. Your brilliant mind of yours is quite fascinating. You caught something that they rest of us did not. I am still quite shocked that even I didn't notice anything. If it were not for your instincts…. We would have never known….." Inkling says.
"We would have never known….." Christina added.
"I…umm…. Need some time alone…. I need to try and process this…." Asher says getting up and leaving the room.
The room felt awkward.
Christina is still wiping tears from her eyes with a napkin.
After Asher leaves, she gets up and leaves the room without saying a single word.
Shellington puts his hands on his face.
"I believe that was the hardest thing that I have ever had to do. I didn't want to be the one to tell them…" Shellington sighs.
Barnacles places his arm on Shellington.
"No, you did the right thing. You had to tell them. I still am shocked that you figured out the entire thing…."
"Yes, when I was first told the entire theory, I wasn't sure what to think about it. It is great that you figured it out, because if you didn't, Christina and Asher may have went through their time on board without ever knowing the truth. There is absolutely no telling if they would have ever found out other wise." Inkling said.
"And now that the twins have been found, the treasure hunt can resume and we can go to Hawaii where Asher and Christina can claim their long lost treasure! Sounds easy enough." Barnacles adds.
Shellington smiles for a few seconds after hearing what Barnacles said then a worried face appears once again.
"But I am just worried about Asher and Christina. I mean come on they were just told that the person that they just met two days ago is suddenly their long lost twin that they can't even get along with. And they are suddenly the duet and they have to claim a long lost treasure meant for them only. That is just a lot to take in! I just wonder if they can truly take it…" Shellington says worried.
"Shellington is right. They both have a lot to think about and process. This is a massive change in their lives. Poor Christina was never told she was adopted. The truth hit them really hard. Let's allow them a few hours alone to think about everything. Then, we can check on them to see if they are okay." Barnacles suggests.
Christina is driving the Gup along with the calm ocean current.
Her head felt like it was spinning.
Her mind was everywhere.
She was in pure shock.
Tears still flowed from her face as she drove the Gup at almost the speed limit.
She had to get away.
She had to be alone.
Christina didn't even tell the crew where she was going because she didn't want them to come after her.
She finally reaches her destination.
She drives the Gup to the surface by a tide pool.
Christina has arrived at a beach.
She jumps out of the Gup and takes off her Octonaut boots and holds on to them.
She runs to the tide pool.
The tips of her blue skirt dipped into the water.
A lot of great memories have been made here.
Various times, she has come here when she wanted to be by herself.
It was so peaceful and relaxing.
Christina loved the feeling of the ocean breeze blowing on her.
The sand in between her toes.
She absolutely loved it.
She needed this.
Christina looks over at another tide pool from the distance.
She sees that someone is over there.
Once she walks over there, last person that she wanted to see is dangling his feet in the water covering his face with his hands.
She could tell that he has been crying.
Christina's eyes widen.
"How did he find her secret beach? He hasn't even been here long enough to find the secret spots in the area yet!" Christina thought to herself.
Christina started to feel awkward.
"How in the world did you find this place?" She asks him.
Asher looks up at his twin.
"I…. Just found it." Asher answers.
Christina sits down beside him.
"Yea…. This is the place to be it… no matter the occasion….." Christina says.
Asher sighs once again and puts his hands in his face.
The two go quiet; all that can heard was the wind blowing and the ocean waves hitting the beach.
Asher is beginning to feel awkward as well.
"Are…. You okay Asher?"
Asher looks up at her.
"You want the real answer?"
Christina nods.
"No.…" He answered.
"Are you….okay Christina?"
"You want the real answer?" Christina asked.
Asher nods.
"No….." She answers.
"Well that makes two of us….." Asher adds.
"Look…. I know this is all crazy. I am still in shock as well… neither one of us could have ever imagined this coming…." Christina says.
"Yeah…. I got my dream job… I get to work with the World's greatest minds. My first days on the job was spent researching a long lost treasure and a long lost set of twins… then after only being on board for no more than three days I am told that I am a twin…..one of the twins. The twins that are duet that only can unlock the treasure." Asher explains.
Christina nods.
"Yeah… I have been working as an Octonaut for an entire year now. Then suddenly…. There is a new member on the team… It was so out of the blue…. There hasn't been anyone new join the team since I did. Then the treasure is first brought up… and we have to find the twins aka the duet…. Then I am told that i am adopted and that my parents have lied to me for my entire life... my life feels like a complete lie...And then I am suddenly told that I am one of the twins and the new member of the team that I just met is my twin….." Christina says.
"It's just… a lot to take in." Asher adds.
"Also… make that two of us…." Christina sighs.
"I think I now know the reason why we clashed when we first met…." Christina adds.
"Really?" Asher asks.
"I have read about this. I remember reading about this somewhere. Siblings tend to argue and clash with one another…. When we first met… we clashed…. Even though we didn't know…. We still clashed. And it is said that siblings with the same passions and ideas tend to clash as well." Christina explained.
"That would explain a lot….." Asher says.
Christina manages to smiles for a second.
"I…um…. Will say this. When I first met you, I got a weird feeling. A feeling that I have never gotten before. Like we had this connection or something. I didn't know what to think of it….." Asher reveals.
Christina gives him a shocked face.
"So…did I. Almost as if we met…before. But of course we haven't…. The second that we shook hands, I felt something. You gave me weird vibes. It felt just like Deja vu. It honestly freaked me out. A lot. I wanted to avoid it. I wanted to run from you…." Christina admitted.
"So… is that why you hated me so much in the first place? You wanted to avoid me just because you got a weird feeling about me?" Asher asked.
"Yes…." Christina sighed admitting the truth.
"I…. Just wanted to say that I am sorry for the way I acted…. I mean it for real this time. It was rude and so out of place for me to do that…." Christina apologizes.
"Yea… me too… I shouldn't have been so harsh either…. It was very unlike for me to be like that. Barnacles even mentioned to me that you aren't usually the one to be extremely rude to others….. once he told me that…. I was curious as ever why you were so harsh toward me. Why me? Now…. It all makes sense…." Asher says.
"But we have met before… you know? Remember?" Asher adds.
"Huh? What are you talking about? We never met until you became an Octonaut."
"In the womb of course. Remember? Even though that was a really long time ago… and of course we didn't remember it…" Asher says with a smile on his face.
Christina laughs at what her twin just said.
This marked the first time that Christina and Asher have smiled since they were told the life changing news this morning…
"Of course you would say that….." Christina laughs..
Asher laughs as well.
"Maybe I was wrong… maybe being your twin isn't going to be that bad after all…" Christina says in a happier mood.
Asher smiles at her.
"A bad thing? Haha…. Yea we both weren't expecting this at all. But if I am being honest with myself… I think us being twins…. Was the only way to bring us…. together….." Asher says deeply being honest.
Christina begins to tear up for the hundred time today.
"You….are….right…" Christina says crying.
Asher suddenly begins to cry.
Tears flow down from his face.
"Ah man…. Now you got me crying….. men aren't supposed to cry!" Asher says.
"Real men do cry! It's okay to cry… it's a way to let your feelings out…." Christina tells her twin.
"And don't even try to lie to me that you didn't cry immediately after we found out that we are twins… the second we found out, you were extremely quiet. I knew you were ready to bust out of the room. I know you do cry, just not in front of people…." Christina admits.
Asher has a confused look on his face.
"How….how did you know that….?"
Christina laughs while tears continue to fall from her eyes.
"Because I am your twin remember! I just know…..it's the twin connection. Duhhhh." She answers.
"Ahh…. Of course… I should have known…." Asher laughs.
"Christina, now that we are back together again… I am not your enemy...it's me and you. Forever. Nothing will tear us apart…. Ever again….." Asher says with his entire heart.
Christina and Asher hug.
Before they even realize it, Pirates pop up out of nowhere and they throw bags over Asher and Christina.
"Hey! What is going on?" Asher screams from inside the bag, being smothered.
"Help!" Christina screams also from inside the smothering bag.
*TO BE CONTINUED*
Ahhh I know you guys are going to kill me for this cliffhanger…. sorry:) Anyways, please review your thoughts! I want to hear what you guys have to say! Thank you for taking time to read this chapter! This one was definitely the hardest but also my favorite chapter to write! I hope you all enjoyed it just as much as I did writing it:)