Well, it's certainly been a hot minute since the last update.

Yeah, I've been wrapping up senior year, and I have a bajillion other fics going now. So I have made the executive decision that Season 3 of Junior Officers will be its last. It's been great writing this journey, but all good things must come to an end.


After many long moons, the day had come for Kitsune's second child to enter the world. Every Octonaut was waiting anxiously outside the sick bay door, hoping for any kind of update. All they could hear from the other side were muffled whimpers and unintelligible words of comfort.

The platform from HQ lowered, and down came Kwazii with Akio and Ichiro. "Any news?" Akio asked.

"Nothing yet," answered Lekona, shaking his head.

"Give Peso time," said Captain Barnacles. "This is a very serious procedure."

Ichiro tugged on his father's shirt. "What did you say the baby's name was again?"

"Keiji," said Akio, lowering himself down to his son's level. "Your name is Ichiro, because you're our first son, so the baby's name is Keiji, because he's our second son."

"I didn't know Japan had names that meant numbers," quipped Kwazii.

"Oh, there are names meaning numbers in other languages too," said Shellington. "Pearl's friend's name is Octavia. That name means the number eight."

Ichiro then turned his attention to Deborah. "Does your name mean you're the second girl?"

"No," said Deborah sweetly. "My name means 'bee'. It's Hebrew."

"God, what is taking him?" Sarabi was getting antsy. "Must be a big baby."

"Patience, Sarabi," said Professor Inkling, placing a tentacle on the young squirrel's shoulder. "We're lucky that it's happening as quickly as it is."

The Octonauts and Fox family then heard a tiny squeak. Nothing came from it, but they could hear Peso speaking softly.

After another few anxious moments, Peso emerged from the sick bay. "All done." He brought Akio and Ichiro into the room, where Kitsune was cooing over a tiny fox kit. Little Keiji looked around at everything in the room, and extended a paw towards Akio. Akio cradled his new son in his arms and whispered sweet things to him.

Peso waddled over to Akio. "Kitsune did a really great job. As long as she takes these painkillers every eight hours for the next little while, it'll be like she never changed."

Keiji cooed baby words at his family. Akio lowered him down to Ichiro's arms. "Now, you need to support his head. He's very fragile."

Ichiro held his baby brother. "I'm gonna show you how to play ball when you're big enough, okay?" Keiji only babbled in response.

Akio kissed his wife. "Welcome to nuclear family life."

Kitsune, still rather loopy from the medicine, just sighed dreamily.