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clover-midori · 1 year ago

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The Octonauts Mermaid AU

MELTDOWN

"Think about it, think about it. What IS that? Thing’s gotta be endangered and I MIGHT have killed it. UGH."

Yuma was sweating a lot. Not only did they catch something they didn’t recognize, but it was starting to bleed out. After quickly sanitizing their paws, the coyote slowly put down the fishing rod and ran over to this turnip-looking creature.

"It’s a good thing dad knew how to get these stuck hooks out. Just gotta push down on this, and…" Yuma firmly but worryingly yanked it out of its tail. Almost immediately, where blood ran down, the flesh rebuilt itself immediately, like there was never anything there to begin with. Weird feature, but definitely came in handy in an area like this.

Yuma had to figure out what they were gonna do now. The Meomiverse was WEIRD, they got that. But even in the Meomiverse, something this simple yet so complex was beyond belief for the coyote.

There turned out to be another injury: a bruise on the back of this creature’s head. And unlike the fishhook wound, it was barely recovering.

"It’s those panels from earlier. You must’ve gotten hit," Yuma shook their head. "I can’t let you go back into the open ocean in a condition like this… Ah, fuck it."

Obviously, this coyote had the medical record of a western school nurse. They left the creature near the shore, fall flat on its face with an ice pack sitting on its head with only gravity holding it up. To them, that was good enough, but they’d never compare to Peso, that was for sure.

"It’ll find its way home eventually. I can’t even be bothered… I need rest."

Obviously again, Yuma didn’t understand the importance of that thing.

A certain otter did, though. And when he woke up tomorrow morning, it probably wasn’t gonna be pretty when he realized.

Not that he HAD to know this kind of thing. Nor would he notice.

~~~~

Tracker silently stared at Paani, slowly squirming around in the inflatable pool that the bear brought with him. Ever since he heard the word "mermaids", he had made some last-minute packing decisions, and this was one of the only good ones, even if he didn’t realize it until now.

Yeshi walked over to Tracker, munching on another one of his macarons. Of course, packing his whole messenger bag full of them was just as stupid, but at least it would keep him fed for his time here. He was more than happy to share some with Tracker as well.

Not like either knew how long they’d be here anyways. Maybe until the new year, even.

Suddenly, a ringing came from the cockpit. Everyone down here, even Orson and Ursa, knew it was Ryla calling back. As soon as they all heard it, Ranger Marsh immediately picked up in excitement.

"Well, that was certainly quicker than I expected!" The bunny waved. "How’s it going down there-"

"OI! Ranger, this is AMAZING!" Ryla exclaimed. "Everyone’s down here, and there’s NO legs but mine! Like… Say hello, everybody!"

As the wombat faced her Octo-Watch at the others, Marsh’s eyes widened greatly, now at a loss for words. It really was the others. Dashi was there, as were Pearl and Bianca, all in the launch bay. Maybe he could even see Tweak if she was awake.

"NATQUIK! Oh me, oh my, oh YES!" He ran for him immediately, excitement flowing through his veins. "IT'S REAL! REAL, I TELL YOU! LOOK! LOOK!”

The shouting from her Pa started to get Tweak's attention. She was tired from replacing the windshield on the GUP-A, but she could’ve sworn she suddenly woke up just by hearing him so… delighted.

He really had to be waiting for her. There wasn’t any reason to keep him so. As she looked back at the GUP, she knew there was no time to waste, like Barnacles said.

Natquik trudged into the cockpit, one paw on his face, the other being dragged by Marsh. He knew something was clearly up but he couldn’t figure it out.

And so, he opened his eyes, and gasped.

"Oi, Natquik! You seem groggy, sorry about that… But I’ve got some good news for you!" Ryla waved to him through the screen, feeling a little less wild than earlier. The fox, now wide awake, paid full attention, calmer than he ever was through these days.

"From what I’ve seen, everyone is, as expected, alive. And yes, like what Barnacles did say, they all DID become mermaids. It’s been about half a week since the whole thing started, but I suppose the Octonauts managed to tidy up the site rather quickly. Dashi and I have gone around the Octopod and everything seems good. What’s going on up there? Any new plans?"

Natquik slowly shook his head in shame. Ryla was being so enthusiastic, meanwhile, here he was standing like a dumb idiot with nothing to do. He had been too busy with other things which he started to realize were just wasting his time.

"Aw, shucks. I managed to get some samples of what got everyone turned, which Shellington labeled 'lesirena' or some dingus. Gotta admit, it’s a fitting name. Me and these blokes are just fixing up the GUP-A and I’ll be on my way!"

"Hang on, what was that about Shellington?" The fox’s mind went blank.

"Yeah, he was working on an experiment a month ago," Ryla explained, courtesy of Dashi. "He forgot to put it away and it spilled everywhere. I’m sure Paani told you already, seeing as he IS there with you guys."

He wasn’t listening. He was just thinking, now that he wasn’t losing his mind. He needed to figure out this… revelation he thought he just had.

"Oi, you oughta be tired… Welp, mate, I’ll see you around. ‘Scuse me as I finish up here… BYE!!!"

"Nat? You feelin’ okay?" Marsh noted the random silence, and tapped on his shoulder. "You seem scared."

"As a matter of fact… yes I am." Natquik quietly sighed, now starting to figure out WHY he was feeling so agitated. "Can we go talk on the roof?"

"Sure thing, Nat."

~~~~

As Ryla drove the now-dry GUP-A into the open ocean, Tweak felt a little embarrassed not being able to say hello, but her tail kept sparkling with electricity as she believed she still had a chance to see HIM again.

"Alright, y’all." She swam over to the others. "This thing is ready to roll! Bianca, Ryla, load the vials in the back. And BE CAREFUL."

The merbear held on tightly to the box of them, handing them over to the wombat, who set it on the seat next to her. From there, Tweak figured it would be smooth sailing. Just get the contained lesirena to shore, make sure it was put in a safe area, and leave this GUP floating on the surface for any future usage, if that was needed.

However, Ryla had other ideas after that. Ideas that would change her life. Ideas with irreversible effects.

The only obstacle she had to overcome was the fox in charge above the surface.

Natquik.

~~~~

The Americas weren’t as affected by the 3/30/21 "Ring Of Fire" earthquakes and tsunamis as the Far East was, yet the tide still ran high. The cold temperatures were completely unrelated. They bothered no one, not even Marsh who only knew the heat. He was laying on cold metal anyways.

"So, like, what’s on your mind?" He looked over at Natquik, staring at the distant lights of Guadalupe's communities before looking back at him.

"Ah, right. Well, I suppose I should explain it all," said the fox, as he took a deep breath.

It turns out, he feared not that the Octonauts were mermaids, but that they were on their own. They were almost completely uncontactable, too.

"You see, Marsh, and maybe this would make sense for you, ever since I first noticed what happened, I was sent into a silent panic. Just worrying for the safety of the Octonauts, the people who brought us together… not knowing just WHAT could’ve happened."

Well, no wonder, Marsh thought. He knew how that felt. And sadly, unlike the Octonauts, he never heard from his wife ever again.

Perhaps this was just the sign of a new beginning.

"What do you suppose we do?" The bunny’s ears drooped. "I’d imagine both of us got an idea, but I can’t think faster than you can say buncha munchy crunchy carrots… I promise we can do this, Nat. Just come up with your ideas, I’ll come up with mine.

"Thank you, Marsh… I best sleep now. I'm tired and resting helps calm me down." The fox wrapped his arms around the Ranger, before climbing down.

Marsh stayed on the rooftop, waiting for anything to show up on the shore. He felt so warm inside from that gentle fox hug.

"Eccentric severe tumors… he’s actually so sweet." He felt a little drowsy, having gone deep in thought. Staying up here wasn’t a big problem, so he could ponder all night if he wanted.

Ryla stood in front of the Octoray. She had to think this through. As much as she DID want to do this for her friends, she knew the consequences would be HUGE, especially considering how everyone up here would react. But it wasn’t exactly like she cared, because she had the other side’s problem on her mind more.

That short, sweet time she had with her best friends really meant a lot to her. To go back to the surface after just a mere 30 minutes of seeing how they turned (so wonderfully) didn't feel right. Surely everyone cared when she visited the Octopod. It wasn’t fair that she would only be a blip on the radar for them from now on.

If visiting Dashi wasn’t big enough, then getting a TAIL of her own was. She was going to be dead-set on that new plan, even if it was something only SHE knew.

The wombat looked back at the GUP-A, still with the box inside. She decided to take it out and bring it to the back of the aircraft, for the sake of making this thing quick.

As Ryla stepped inside, she took a look at the three others who were staying in the cargo bay. Yeshi was doing absolutely nothing, Tracker was quietly typing away on his laptop, and Paani was asleep.

Would any of them care if she ran away to live down there? Obviously not Paani; he was literally the thing she wanted to be, excluding the permission. Perhaps they’d pass it off as something of no concern. It wasn’t them to decide if she could go or not. Maybe they even felt the same way, but Ryla wanted the sea to herself for now, so she didn’t ask.

Natquik just couldn’t. He really wanted to get some rest, but he just didn’t feel like it. Within seconds, things could turn nasty, and that was something he had to watch for. As such, he always wore his Octo-Watch, keeping one eye open for any calls.

And that’s when the knocking came in. The fox worryingly opened up, only to let out a sigh of relief after his vision adjusted, to see Ryla standing there.

"Yeah, I’m back," the wombat blushed in embarrassment. She stood there, taking off her helmet. She knew she wasn’t gonna need that anymore.

The fox looked at Ryla, a little concerned. She had an uncertain gaze on her face, was trembling a little, and definitely had something on her mind.

She wanted to tell him the truth. But was it really worth it? Did she really want to stress this fox out, when he ALREADY was? Like Marsh waiting for Tweak, she knew Dashi was waiting for her, but…

"Professor, listen to me." Ryla sighed, drooping her ears in regret, which slowly faded in. "My mates are all happy with it… the whole mermaid thing."

Natquik knew she was about to say something in particular, and so he kept his mouth shut. Not that it was a red flag, but…

"If you’re not happy with, that’s okay. But you can’t just pressure that on others. I know this whole thing is painful, but just hear me out, mate-"

"No, it’s not that. If anything, I like how they've ended up…" The fox sighed. Of course, Ryla was away while he collected his mind, so she didn't understand yet. "It's that I don't want them getting hurt, hence why I brought Paani here."

Fair dinkum, the wombat thought. Perhaps the transformative stuff she gathered wasn’t for some kind of vaccine anymore, but rather… No, not yet. Not until she got the green light, which seemed distant beyond belief… unless she simply asked. So, here went nothing.

"Oh! Uh, mate, I brought over those samples you wanted earlier. Do you still need them?"

"I suppose not." Natquik sighed in regret, having made her work so hard. "Try to keep them for… I don’t even know what to use them for. Just don’t let anyone else touch them or my new plans will be IMPOSSIBLE."

New plans? Impossible? Seems legit. How much of an impact could one less person have anyways?

To Ryla, not much, and or none at all.

"Alright… hang on, you said not to let anyone else touch 'em!" She eagerly gasped. "Does that mean I can just go and-"

He wasn’t sure how to feel about it, but Natquik knew what the wombat wanted to do. No one ever came up to him and asked if they could go. He worried a lot, he really did. But if it was something Ryla really wanted… he wasn’t gonna stop her.

"You know what? Knock yourself out. Just don’t say a WORD about it," yawned Natquik with sincerity and a smile, slamming his eyes shut immediately after.

It was 1 in the morning, and at this very time, he HAD to sleep. Otherwise he’d only feel awful all day, which was NOT alright.

Now it was probably just Ryla who was awake at this point. For her, that was perfect. The door was open, no one was out to close it, and there wouldn't be any more waiting.

Of course, she did have to mind that the fox didn’t explicitly say she could do WHATEVER she wanted, but he DID also say not to "let anyone ELSE touch them". That didn’t include herself. Good sign. She knew what to do. At least, not to do it yet. She’d have to give it some time, and at the same time she needed to finish this before the sun rises again.

For now, she held on to one of the fifty little vials, waiting for the golden minute. It was gonna strike any moment.

Actually, no, fuck that, she wasn’t waiting. Ryla ran off after a few seconds, and stood at the edge of the water, staring at her own reflection.

"It’s okay, Ryla. Just stay close to the shore. That way, if anyone gets worried, I’ll come back immediately," The wombat told herself, before taking off her suit, now useless, leaving her with the only tank top she bothered to bring.

It was still hard to pick. She did the research. Did she really have to stay up here any longer? She WAS a cave diver. Her old friend was down there. They were more than happy to see each other again. All that was basic logic, of course, so was it enough to make her want to change?

"You just gotta SEE yourself in it! Believe you can DO this! Just close your eyes… just imagine…" Ryla convinced herself again and again, giving herself these pep talks like there was no time left for her to live.

And that’s when it finally hit her. There truly wasn’t anymore reason to stay up here. She was only 22, but she already felt complete. She’d have achieved her goals about 3 years ago, even if it ended in pain.

"It’s like… I’m going home." Ryla laughed hard, the more she thought about it. "Bonza! It’s perfect! IT'S PERFECT!"

"ALRIGHT!" She downed the vial, and ran for the water. "That’s IT! HERE I COME!"

With a big jump, she made a swan dive into the deeper waters, letting herself be swept away from the island. Within seconds, she could feel her whole lower body change, and she was LOVING it! Her legs immediately melted and morphed, taking the form of a long, silvery needlefish tail that swayed FAR from her waist!

"YEAH! That was AWESOME!" Ryla shouted, cheerfully laughing at her new form. "And crikey, that was FAST!" She dashed down, making her way all back to the Octopod.

She didn’t care about land anymore. All she wanted was to be with her friends, all as mermaids, FOREVER, much to the dismay of anyone still up there.

"Thanks for everything, Natty… All this time, I oughta just ask you~!"

~~~~

As the sun started to rise, approximately 7 AM, Shellington was terrified. He woke up only 5 minutes ago and he could’ve SWORN Tunip was here, with him and Kwazii last night, but now he had just vanished from thin air.

Sure, he could’ve probably just went back to the Octopod, but in an area like this that would be near impossible for someone like him. Could be in HUGE danger as well, which, for Shellington, was NOT GOOD AT ALL. He loved that little guy with ALL his tail.

"C’mon! Tunip’s gotta be somewhere!" He circled around his resting spot, trying to see if he could identify him from a distance, while keeping Kwazii safe as well.

The sea otter’s worry started to actually wake up the kitten. He even lifted his eyepatch up, trying to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating, up until the merotter was right in front of him.

"Shellington? What’s wrong? Ye seem shaken," asked Kwazii, trying to comfort him like last time.

"Oh! Uh, well… Tunip’s missing." He said in an uneasy tone, still looking around, just hoping the Vegimal would show up completely fine. "Know anything about where he is?"

Kwazii shook his head, having been in a sleep just as deep as the otter’s. Maybe Tunip was just playing with the two, but even that couldn’t just be true.

And just when matters couldn’t get worse, right in front of the two little mermaids was one big tiger shark. They had infiltrated on his territory, and he was NOT happy.

"What are ye staring at?!" Came a little confrontation from the kitten. "Can’t handle two mermaids enjoying themselves?" He leaned over and looked the shark right in the snout.

"Nuh-uh," the shark quietly whispered before preparing to charge at Kwazii.

At that, Shellington already wasn’t taking any chances. He grabbed the cat’s arm and tried to swim away as fast as he could, trying to outrun this angry thing, which was STILL catching up even after a minute. Even worse, he didn’t know where he was going and could be headed for another territory of ANOTHER shark. The only upside would be if that distracted the one chasing them right now.

"Ye can give up now! Me boyfriend is hauling me and he’s still going a tad faster than ye ever will," teased Kwazii with a swish of his fin, still holding onto the otter’s paw.

"Lemon, you haven’t seen my TRUE POWER," the tiger shark bitched. "If anything, I’m merely having mercy for you two. In fact, you know what? I think I’ll just… AMBUSH YOU TWO IN A MATTER OF SECONDS I SWEAR TO-"

And that’s when it came outta nowhere. A hefty fluke slammed against the shark’s snout, causing him to flip over like a water bottle in 2017, and retreat almost immediately after.

Shellington rapidly stopped, and looked behind him, watching the sore loser turn around, piss, and make a swim for it. Neither him nor Kwazii hit him, so who did?

"You two okay?"

It was Bianca, just floating there like nothing happened. She managed to stop that fucking shark with a single swing of her TAIL.

Kwazii… awkwardly nodded. He was quite impressed by how fast this issue was resolved. Bianca was just as strong as ever, and that, Pearl definitely liked.

"Yeah, it’s not best to go far out there…" the polar bear giggled. "…especially when you’re ALSO a shark."

"Fair point, fair point," Shellington said, still worried. "Have you seen Tunip by any chance?"

Just by the mentioning of his name, the vegimal showed up RIGHT behind Kwazii, announcing his return with a loud

"Bree!"

"Yeow! There ye are!" The kitten thrashed his tail in surprise. "We DID doubt ye would make it back here, but aye, it’s good to be back!"

Shellington started to think. Everyone was safe again, all thanks to Bianca, which DID make sense, but why didn’t something feel right about… Tunip? That little guy didn’t know this part of the sea, and he would’ve been toast already. After all, tiger sharks WERE mostly nocturnal, and if Tunip was in that one’s territory as well while he and Kwazii were asleep, then probably managed to get back to the Octopod early, then how did he not get hurt?

Unless… it then dawned on him. Something, or someone, must’ve led him back to home base. But it’s not like anyone else had been out of the area THAT far. Someone must’ve gone and tracked Tunip down. If anyone were to know, it was probably Bianca. So, the otter simply asked.

“Well, I did meet Ryla… this one wombat that Dashi is REALLY good friends with. They go far back. I could have sworn I saw her again today. Couldn’t get enough, it seems…”

Now THAT made sense. Shellington HAD went to sleep a little nearer to the coast, so if Ryla made it here, it’s probable that Tunip followed her.

But enough stressing over that. At least he WAS safe, again. And he WAS holding Kwazii’s paw earlier.

Wait, since when was Ryla here?

~~~~

Natquik just sat on the floor of the cockpit. His mind had run off elsewhere some time ago, but at least he had a… somewhat good rest. He wasn’t sure how everyone would react when they found out he let Ryla go. He, like everyone else, didn’t want things to go bad again. After all, it had happened so much and that was NOT happening again, for the sake of everyone’s safety up HERE as well.

“It can’t be that hard. We’ll just have to haul everyone into here, and send them to a safer area,” he sighed. “I just don’t know when we’ll TRULY get this done. And besides, what about the Octopod? Of course, we could leave it here, leave it to be an artificial reef… yes yes, that makes complete sense… Well, unless Barnacles wants something else. I know he’s proud of being captain for 13 years now.”

“Blin, if only I could see him right now.”

As the fox kept thinking out loud, Ranger Marsh was already awake and got down from the roof. He slowly walked inside, not having suspected anything from earlier.

“I heard you musing from the cargo bay. Something wrong, Nat?” He called out to the fox. Natquik moved his head and saw him. That distinctive hat. That fabulous mustache. That beautifully gruff voice.

All packed into one man. One man who was working with him on this whole idea. And now, the more Natquik thought of it…

“Nat?”

Oh shit, he thought. This was a little embarrassing. Big fox was thinking a lot about the big bunny, meanwhile he was standing right over him.

“Oh! Ranger!” Natquik immediately pulled his hood over his head. “I am very sorry… Just thinking about my ideas for helping out the Octonauts through and through.”

Marsh nodded. That made sense. You should never forget the important things. And luckily, for himself, he remembered things VERY well, even after a good night’s sleep on a roof. He had the knowledge. The knowledge of a… Ranger Marsh.

“You seemed a bit flustered when I walked in,” the bunny admitted. “Wanna talk about it again?”

With his feelings becoming more prevalent, Natquik knew this would be a little more difficult than usual.

He had more than his plans to explain.

“Weather’s great today, isn’t it?” Marsh stretched his arms, as he approached the coast. “Good thing I’ve got this towel. Don’t wanna get those pants dirty, huh?”

The Ranger and the Professor sat down, looking towards the blue sky. Natquik still felt a little shook, but knew he was ready to tell his plans.

“Well, I figured it doesn't have to be that hard after all,” the fox blushed. “It’s how we get them into the Octoray is what I need to figure out. But making sure they’re all, or mostly all, safely contained, and brought safely to an area off the coast of Vancouver Island, is the bare minimum I’m looking for.”

Clearly, Natquik thought faster and better when he wasn’t really stressed. Of course, there was the typical little (bit) stutter every few 8 words or so, but even that went out the window when he started speaking right now.

That confidence was something he only had when around people he knew and cared for, like Barnacles, for instance.

But now, Natquik was out of words. It worried him a lot. Realizing that he was so enthusiastic, like he should be, but he just couldn’t say anything.

It wasn’t that he was out of ideas, though. No, he still had many more things on his mind.

And all of them pointed to Marsh.

“Natquik?” The bunny looked at him, having gone all timid. His hood was up again, and he was visibly shaking.

“Natquik?”

“I just have… so many personal thoughts. I’m sorry.” Natquik looked back at him, the fur on his face gone pink. “I don’t mean to act like this, but I just have so many confessions. Promise this won’t impact you in any way?”

Marsh nodded. He didn’t mind at all. After all, he was a single man, one who had to leave his wife after a few years with Tweak. No, his wife wasn’t bad in a way, no, it was actually a good marriage in those 5 years. Yet, she had to leave. There were things in Boston waiting for her, but Marsh had to keep working down here. So, they decided to just… move on, divorce, and stay friends.

It’s been 16 years since. They still talked every now and then, but apart from that it was radio silence. So now, Marsh was practically on his own.

“I’ve been so worried about it. I’m just looking back at… you know, all the work you and I have done before. Even before this.” Natquik continued his explanation.

“Yeah, it’s all been wild and fun. Little scary, too.” The bunny laughed. “Good times, all in all. What about ‘em, Nat?”

“Do you think this is a sign? Like, I don’t think we’ve ever been this close before. Something about you, something about me…” The fox looked at Marsh, slowly inching closer to his face. “In fact, I had been thinking about you on the way to Florida.”

“Aw, so I see…” The bunny smiled. “You know, you’ve been feeling much calmer lately. Yeshi did tell me how things were going, and I just hope all is well. And I mean that truly.”

“T-thank you.”

“Hey,” Marsh looked to his left. “Ryla left the GUP-A here. Think we can head over there ourselves?”

“Absolutely.”

~~~~

Ryla silently floated in the engine room, eyes closed in bliss knowing that she REALLY was here, now a mermaid like those she loved.

She wondered if anyone was aware she came back. She DID make her way down here at a late time and DID get the attention of Tunip. A bunch of sleep schedules were definitely fucked up beyong recognition, so there HAD to be a night owl down here.

Barnacles? No, not at all. Kwazii? Was nowhere to be seen at this time. Peso? Chilean medics needed to sleep as well. Ryla couldn’t think of anyone. But someone apart from Tunip HAD to be awake, Octonaut or Octo-NOT.

It was almost 9 now. Surely this was when at least 2 other folks were awake. Maybe Dashi. Probably not.

There was no reason to just wait here. As much of a nice home it made for Ryla, she knew she’d have to look around more. Maybe revisit Min, and all that jazz.

She opened the door, eagerly swishing her tail fin as her eyes were exposed to the seas in wonderful daylight. Surely, when everyone saw her, they’d be delighted.

It definitely felt weird swimming down here without her suit. Clad in nothing but this tank top was certainly an experience she last had about… oh, just a few 11 years ago, a little while before she joined the Wombat Divers Association-

“Ryla? I thought you were back on the-”

The wombat immediately recognized Tweak’s voice and rapidly turned around, giving a pose, a peace sign, and a blep on her face.

Probably not a common way to greet someone, but Ryla HAD to make an entrance somehow, and needless to say, it… kinda worked. Needless to say, this would’ve worked better with Dashi.

“I never did realize just howwww… uh, nevermind,” The bunny awkwardly blushed, just looking at the wombat with all her might. “You decided to come back, huh?”

Ryla proudly nodded. “All for you blokes. And, like, MATE, look at this thing! It’s LONG! It’s SHINY! It’s GOOOOOD!” She swam down to Tweak, and hugged her tightly. “Now, you’d know where every other dingus is, hm~?”

The bunny shrugged and laughed. “Well, obviously! We are floating RIGHT behind it~! But if you wanna narrow it down… Dashi’s in the launch bay and she’s in a pretty good mood like me, so-”

ZOOM!

Ryla immediately darted towards the Octo-Hatch, with literally nothing else on her mind but her favorite dachshund. Tweak caught up, and was a little exhausted when she finally made it to the outer wall.

“Well, at least Shellington isn’t crashing the GUP-D again and again.” She caught her breath, sparks flying off her tail, before using the last of her energy to get inside.

Needless to say, Dashi would be one happy doggo with both of her favorite folks.

Meanwhile, the GUP-A continued to descend through the Pacific, making little noise. The two crew, Natquik and Marsh, kept their focus ahead of them, enjoying the ride while it lasted.

The Arctic fox still felt a bit flustered, not only because of these feelings he had for Marsh, but also because of Ryla. If the bunny found out about her transformation, Natquik could potentially lose his chances with him.

It wasn’t like he had to explicitly tell the Ranger. Would he even believe him? Probably not. It would take the wombat herself, if anything.

His thoughts were interrupted by a penguin swimming past them, and,

“NAT! Nat! Did you see that?! That’s PESO!” Marsh excitedly shouted, paws and face against the windshield. “Oh me, oh my, it’s even better in person!”

His happiness was becoming infectious, as Natquik realized. And was that a good thing? Actually, yes. No reason to be so down when his crush was enjoying all of this.

So, he decided to lighten up for once in his life, speeding up with the bunny, as they prepared to make a circle around the site. For all they knew, they were gonna see the coolest shit in their life. EVER.

~~~~

This was getting old. Yeshi wasn’t sugarcoating it anymore. He, Tracker and Paani had been waiting here for too long. Periwinkle too, but it wasn’t like he was being affected as much. Was there even any reason to keep track on the time? It’s not like anything would happen. Natquik and Marsh had left, having taken the GUP-A to wherever.

“I think we should just… get you guys home,” the dachshund sighed. “Our ‘leader’ has officially lost it. Are either of you even alive?”

Paani could barely say a word. This little pool was a big change from the sea and he wanted to GET OUT at this point. He missed Kwazii and Shellington. He missed playing with all those creatures. He missed the salty smell, too.

“Well, that’s my answer. We’re dead, mate. Beyond dead if anything. Go to your graves, gentlemen.” Yeshi looked around, feeling just as lost. He was running out of macarons, too. What a nightmare.

Tracker sighed, knowing they couldn’t just leave Natquik behind. He also watched from the cockpit earlier when the fox and Marsh took control of the GUP, and from that, he seemed to be doing better than earlier, actually. And besides, he had always been his best, if not, one of his best friends.

The least that could be done now was to just… let Paani back into the water, and maybe enjoy what this island had to offer… like they had anything.

The two others remembered that the macaque would have to slowly be reimmersed in seawater, because just dumping him in all of it outta nowhere would be probably lethal for him. He couldn't handle a sudden change like that, even if he desired water of all sorts.

Tracker rushed out and scooped up as much as he could, getting it into his Hydro Flask (which was decked out in tens of stickers) AND his ushanka JUST like he did back in 2021 or whatever. He then passed it over to Yeshi, who carefully poured some of the hat’s contents into the temporary residence of Paani: the same inflatable pool from last night.

This felt a big dystopian. It was like feeding an orca in a tank just mere inches its size. Something commonplace OUTSIDE of the Meomiverse. Yet, it was helping the manta ray, little by little. As the saltiness started to come back, he could feel himself becoming slowly rejuvenated, feeling a little more alive. Still not enough to move any limb, but his breathing was more audible, and he COULD talk quietly now.

“Thanks, you two…” Paani moaned as his vision grew clearer again. He could’ve sworn he was ACTUALLY dead, but even that was a load of rubbish. He knew things were totally fine now, and so did Tracker, as he was now preparing to tidy the place before Natquik returned.

Yeshi would also stay and help, but lately he was questioning the whereabouts of his little sister. It wasn’t like she went far, but this island WAS quite big, so his worry was justified.

What if she actually took to the sea? What if SHE was a mermaid right now? She WAS probably old enough for it. Periwinkle obviously wasn’t, but Orson and Ursa… give it a few months and they’d be eligible for it.

Nah, that was wack. Koshi would NEVER do that, right? Right, that was something out of his nightmares. Maybe she just went with Natquik.

~~~~

“Shit. You’re actually back?”

The dachshund puppy nodded, looking up at Yuma. She had remembered last night and was genuinely enjoying having this coyote around.

Now, it wasn’t TERRIBLE having Koshi around, but Yuma didn’t think she’d be around for THIS long. She was no local, so there was that, but… the coyote just preferred their parents and no one else. Perhaps it was because they never had a REAL friend since 2016, not after that one embarrassing Pine they got themselves into.

It was just day 2 seeing her, but Koshi actually seemed like a perfect friend to Yuma. Like, yeah, they still had to keep that secrecy, but they knew they could actually TRUST the dachshund. After all, she was of rather high status. Quite above Yuma, but neither minded the difference.

“Yuma? Is your head in the CLOUDS again?” Koshi looked at the coyote, who indeed was thinking through all of the factors in this… new friendship. It was foreign to them; an interaction like this was something that hadn’t happened in so long for them.

“…yes.” The coyote embarrassingly nodded, before holding the puppy’s paw and softly smiling at her. “You’re a great friend, you know… I never really had one until now.”

Ironic for a coyote to say to a little weenie dog, but Yuma really meant what they said. They couldn’t even remember the last time they really spoke to someone apart from the usual “hi, bye” and generic small talk, until they saw Koshi on that beach.

Now, you might ask: why was Yuma headed to that very beach anyways? Did they know about her to begin with? No, but first off…

Yuma did travel to this part of the island a lot. It was a spot no one gave a damn about, which was perfect. Whilst it felt like getting baked in summer, that was the whole point. The coyote hated hiking through inclined spots, and this little spot where the Octoray had landed? Oh, bestie, it was A FUCKING BLESSING for them.

Now, with the big slightly damaged ship being in the way, you’d think Yuma would be quite upset. But that’s also why they were at their favorite spot. It was flying past their community and descending towards the other side, which definitely intrigued the coyote. And so, they hopped into the Daihatsu, floored it, and from there, what could’ve been a SUPER heated argument, which Yuma never wanted to get into, ended up just questioning Koshi’s existence on those very grains of sand.

And that, my besties, is why these two are now standing next to each other. Koshi was like an insider for the coyote, and would explain some basics like the Vegimals and leaked flavors of kelp cakes, all talked about over a bag of seaweed chips.

Yuma never did mention catching what turned out to be Tunip. That would be awful. This was a new beginning. They didn’t want it to end already.

~~~~

"Wow," Tracker’s voice echoed through the cargo bay. “We… really left a mess. I’m only about 5 minutes in and that’s in THIS one corner.” He continued to sweep around the territory he called his own for some time, making sure little to no dust was left, all in the name of Natquik.

“We?” Periwinkle looked at the polar bear and shook his head. “More like you three. I just sat here… waiting for mom to come back.” He looked around, knowing he was more alone… than ever before.

Tracker was a little confused. Surely he’d have known about the news. Sure, Periwinkle was nothing more than a little kid, but you’d think he’d be aware that his mother was alive, well, and snuggling the big, warm, squishy, furry chest of Captain Barnacles’ twin sister, which even Ryla couldn’t top. Which didn’t bother HER, as Dashi found that wombat’s to still be nicely big and just as cushy, and good enough for her and Tweak. One happy love triangle under the sea.

And yes, that wombat’s Tim Tams were EXACTLY what the angry Floridian bunny girl was awkward over earlier. That’s what happens when you’ve worn nothing but a tight suit for every time you were around the Octonauts. But now you’re a mermaid and you don’t need it anymore. So now you just have that tank top with an unspecified design on it. The HHgregg logo? A frame from one of the HHgregg commercials? HH himself? Maybe. I dunno, I haven’t drawn Ryla yet.

Right, that’s enough. I’m getting bored.

“O-okay then, uwu…” Tracker shook his head, “You just hold tight, and…” proceeded to point the broom at the otter, “…maybe go upstairs so you don’t get…” approached him slowly with a squinted look, “…in my way.”

Periwinkle was totally innocent. He was scared during those arguments on the Octoray. Yet, he DID have a bit of beef with some folks for how young he was. Which was kinda typical, in all honesty. His brain wasn’t fully developed, for one thing. Regardless, he managed to get up and slowly walked upstairs with slight difficulty, which Tracker paid no attention to.

Paani still felt half-dead, waiting for the next dose of salt water which he didn’t exactly need just yet. He definitely had a lot to say now, fortunately.

“So,” he looked over at Tracker, “what’s the plan after you clean this whole area? Has Natquik said anything about… you know?”

The bear shook his head. Sure, Natquik did tell him NOW that he was out at sea, but even he himself didn’t know when he’d be back. No ETA, nothing. But he definitely would be back before 8 or something.

“Knowing him, he’s probably looking through every nook and cranny in that place,” Tracker told himself, as he made sure there was no dust in this very corner, “but so am I, so no debating on that… Hey, I just remembered something. Why did Ryla leave last night?”

That was a GOOD question. Where DID that wombat go? Last night, she just left through the ramp here and never came back. Did SHE get turned? Yeshi would question that if he was here… he WAS outside but that wasn’t the point. What was HE doing anyways?

“Tracker, look at me in the eyes when I’m talking to you.”

Coming back inside, that’s what.

The polar twink was a little surprised, the dachshund having just come out of nowhere even though he spent a solid 25 minutes on the sand. Was that motorcycle he modified even useful? Yeah, it was a ride of his own, but did it even have a point other than being fast transportation to band practice? Probably not.

But then, Tracker caught sight of what Yeshi was HOLDING. That being Ryla’s suit and helmet. And THAT really confused him. It made him worried as well.

“N-no way! And you found that… where?” He shuddered, knowing the possibilities of just what could’ve happened, good OR bad..

“On the beach, poking out of the sand like she tried to bury it,” Yeshi replied. “It’s strange. Ryla NEVER takes off her suit, does she? So why did I just find it there?”

Tracker shrugged, obviously not knowing that either. He was still more focused on cleaning up this whole area.

“You know what? I’ll go set this in the cockpit. If anyone’s to figure it out, it’s Natquik,” the dachshund told him, as he was starting to head upstairs before stopping for a moment. “You know what I’m also concerned over? The fact that you took 30 minutes deep cleaning ONE corner of this area. I appreciate the dedication, Tracker, but I’d hate for you to tire yourself out.” He ran up, left the wombat’s gear there, and rushed back downstairs. “Extra paws never hurt anyone.”

What a coincidence. Tracker DID need some assistance. ACTUAL assistance, as Paani was just emotional support. Not that it was bad, no, it was great, but having another critter sweeping with him was a big boost. Unfortunately, the macaque couldn’t do that, because, well, he was a mermaid. And mermaids don’t have legs. So they can’t sweep. Duh.

So, while the polar bear worked on one side, the dachshund worked on the other. Paani was in the center, watching as this went on for a little while. It was almost like watching figure skating on TV, as the two other Octo-Agents worked in such synchronization. Which was pretty funny, but still… splashing.

Because Tracker was already heavy at work, he was definitely starting to slow down. He had about 85 percent of his half done, and as much as he wanted to keep going, his arms were tired, and at this point, he was slowly losing his grip on the stick of the mop.

“Tracker, I think you need a break,” Paani called over to him. “Yeshi has a point and you’re probably going to make yourself sick if you don’t stop for even a minute-

And at that very moment, as the polar bear looked at the monkey, he bumped into the wall, and fell back… right where Ryla left those vials earlier. Fortunately, none of them shattered, but hitting the ground definitely hurt regardless.

“…That wouldn’t happen if I could still walk.” Paani shook his head. “At least I AM a mermaid…”

Tracker looked at him again, now a little discouraged by his own mishap. The contents of the crate he fell onto were scattered around him. And just when he thought he was close to finishing.

Yeshi stopped working, and rushed over to help the polar bear get up. However, he stopped almost immediately, noticing all the vials on the ground. The glass was definitely weakened, and even a single tap could actually break them, so the dachshund had to watch his step.

“Get away from there, you two!” Paani then shouted, trying to reach his arms at theirs. “If they break, you’re going to get turned into a-“

Alas, poor Tracker having realized he DID break one vial, right on his back. It was all over his jacket, and by the time Yeshi managed to get to him, it was already too late.

“Are you kidding me,” the dachshund grumbled under his breath. “Tracker, DON’T move… I can’t believe I actually have to do this… I’m getting Natquik.”

As the polar bear readjusted his glasses, he tried to figure out whatever the vocalist said and looked around. His eyes went to him, then Paani, and then himself. Don’t move? Or what? Now what happened? He checked himself, and… well, this was not what he expected.

The thick, gray and white tail of a narwhal.

~~~~~~

At the time, the professor and ranger, donning helmets like the ones the Octonauts had, were down where the garden pod ended up. It was only a bit recognizable at this point, now looking like a flattened can of nacho cheese. Surely it all wasn’t lost, though. At least, that’s what the vegimals were hoping.

“Right… this place looks like a MESS,” Marsh announced. “If we’re gonna help you little guys salvage any supplies left in here, then we gotta move all this metal and glass first…” the bunny paused, looking over at the Octopod, “…which I could get done easily if I knew where Tweak was. She’d find a way faster than I can say… good cloud, I hope she’s okay.”

Tunip definitely understood the bunny’s worry. Like him, he knew nothing about Shellington’s whereabouts shortly after the Octopod crashed. And whilst he DID want to help, he was nothing but some fishy vegetable thing “voiced” by a Michigander mouse with a “pooter”.

Surely the other mermaids here would show themselves. Tunip did know Tweak was working on the other GUPs for… preservation purposes, and also for repairs after what happened on 3/30/21. He did NOT want to think of THAT, so he went back to looking for where to start moving all this junk out of the way.

“Yes, yes… first, we’ll have to move the roof off,” Natquik spoke up, still surveying the wreckage. “If it doesn’t bother all of us to do so, of course.”

Convinced almost immediately, the Vegimals went to the sides of the pod, slowly and carefully lifting it, just enough to not scrape any other wreckage off. This was definitely heavy, but at least they had some assistance from these two strong folks.

“…Oh me, oh my,” Marsh gasped, looking at what was below. Not only was it an absolute mess in here, but clearly TONS of other creatures were making their homes here, and they had been rudely interrupted.

Seeing all of this made the Ranger quite sad, even if this was a good use for… what was left of the Octopod. To think this was really the end, even if the Octonauts were alive and well.

He didn’t even bother to slide back on the roof. He just sulked, floating over the “apartment complex” of little creatures like shrimp that found their way into this artificial reef. They all looked up at him, as he winced a little.

Before he could really break down, however, a voice rang out. “Ey! Ranger!” It was Natquik. He’d have gone back into the GUP-A, trying to warn him of this distress call he was getting. “What are you doing?!”

The bunny snapped out of his daze, and haphazardly swam back into the ship. Natquik asked him why he wasn’t making a noise or a move earlier, but all his friend could give was a sad look in the eyes.

“What’s wrong? What did you see there?” The fox tried again, tilting his head a bit. That seemed to have ended up in vain, up until Marsh took a small breath, and smiled.

“…we can talk about it later. Pick up the call.”

Almost immediately, the two were met with the sound of Tracker panting, worried as could be. Now, this guy wasn’t taken seriously every time, but there was no Top Gear in the background, so you KNEW this was bad.

“Professor, please come back here NOW! It’s SERIOUS! PLEASE! I can’t even explain how terrible this is, I CAN’T!”

Albeit the lack of specification in what was wrong, the fox did as he was asked, even in utter repulse. He sped up the GUP, making sure it was at its fastest, to get to the surface ASAP. Of course, he was always concerned about Tracker, but…

“…I didn’t even get to see Barnacles.”

~~~~

Within minutes of the call, despite the short delay, Nat came real close to running the GUP aground, having gotten a full grasp of the true fear this invoked. He wasted no time just RUNNING out of there and looking for how to open the cargo bay in fits of hesitation.

“Tracker, are you able to let us in?”

Marsh caught up with the fox, who calmly replied to the polar bear above on his near-obsolete Octo-Watch. Even if he still had the Octopod in his mind, he had to stay strong. Time wasn’t running out any time soon, anyways!

“You came back fast…” Yeshi spoke up, as he opened the door. “I really do hate to stop your work out of nowhere, but this IS pretty bad. Watch your step.”

As the professor composed himself, he and the ranger stepped on board, and now they were looking at the aftermath of Tracker’s accident. Yeshi had barricaded Tracker to avoid getting anyone else transformed, so the polar bear was left soaking up the mess he made, not moving a muscle like the beached whale he was.

“What’s that behind you?” Natquik asked, noticing the worried expression on the dachshund’s face which didn’t change at the fox’s question.

“Are you hiding something?” The professor twitched an ear, now growing suspicious. He tilted to the sides of the vocalist, but he mimicked his movements without a hitch or a sound, which frustrated him.

Yeshi wanted to warn him about what he was hiding, but it was pretty much too late for that. Natquik was getting pretty annoyed, so he decided not to intervene any further and just let the fox find out for himself, stepping aside.

Natquik sighed, as he walked past the dachshund. Not sure what that thing was about, but oh well. This fox had worse to deal with right now. Was it something upstairs, or was it…

And then, he saw what this was about. The moment he looked at Tracker—who quietly sobbed under the fin of Paani—his mind went blank.

This kind of thing was beyond sobering. Knowing it was merely irreversible. Knowing everything in their lives had led them to this. All Natquik could do now was look back on every year he spent working with Tracker on his side before today.

When he'd first joined in 2007, none of the other Polar Scouts expected much out of him, but it only took 4 months for him to show just how important he was, especially after one troop went missing near Greenland, and because he was the first to get their distress signal, they returned to their base without injury within 12 hours.

2014 was when his career as an Emergency Post Operator really took off. After Barnacles and his sister were nearly lost, as were a few other residents of Melville Island, Tracker was just as fast to respond. And that kept going! He was slowly, but steadily becoming a role model for nearly every Polar Scout…

And then? There came his PEAK in 2021, after a near-death experience during the Ring of Fire disaster, when he was swept away in Alaska and ended up with Yeshi for the first time, the two which had to make their way all the way back to Canada… he made the greatest decision in his life. The MOMENT he became an Octo-Agent… Straight up, he threw a SICK-ASS PARTY AT THE BUNKER NEAR HIS POST. NATQUIK WAS THERE, mind you. And he was PROUD.

All those days, all those years… all those moments, those memories, good and bad… Even though Natquik had met Tracker at 8, he had wondered about his life before, from the night he was born in 1999. Everything began from something, that was for sure.

24 years of life, and they all led to him becoming half narwhal. How messed up was that?

Enough to make the professor go “блять.”

And then, he passed out in his own tears.

“Nat!” Marsh ran over to him, shocked. “C’mon, get up… Oh me, oh my… Tracker, what have you gotten yourself into?”

The polar bear was a whale, so of course he could breathe a little easier. Yet, he felt like he was drying out. And so did Yeshi, who could only watch and wait for Koshi to return.

Periwinkle slowly watched his step as he walked downstairs to see the commotion. Needless to say, the beef he had with Tracker was cooked medium, just how I like it. This time, he said no words, only looking at everyone as to say “congrats, we all fucked up.”

“Ranger,” Paani looked up, with his tired eyes. “Get us to the H2O. NOW.”

“SILENCE,” the bunny said in the most gruff voice he’d ever done. “Can’t you see what’s happened to… NAT?!”

Natquik groaned as he slowly opened his eyes to see the bunny. He shook his head in disbelief over what had happened, which he remembered quite well.

“Ah, ranger,” he sighed. “That was terrible… Help me up.”

Reaching for the fox’s paw, Marsh looked over at Paani and Tracker, making sure they understood what this was about. They were going to RESPECT this.

“It’s just unfathomable to see you in such pain,” the bunny said. “I know that feeling. I really do… I’ve been where you’ve been. I’ve witnessed terrible, terrible things… and while my family lives in happiness… I can never forget getting caught in Cristobal ‘96, for instance. Thought THAT was it for me…”

Yes, yes, Natquik thought. He and Marsh, like Tracker, went through so much to lead to all of this as well. For so much love he had for him, he wanted to shower this bunny with all of it. There really was no denying it anymore. With each other, the fox knew they had a chance of getting through this whole thing… even if it once seemed impossible.

“…Yes, yes…” the professor took a deep breath, his voice gone confident. “I think I’m ready to do this… are you~?”

“Absolutely!”

It took a little bit of time to get the two mermaids out of the Octoray, but with the area safe by the time the fox recovered, the pace took off and now everyone was staring at the coast.

“Well, folks, we made it… despite your directions,” Ranger Marsh chuckled. “How do you feel, My Melody and Kuromi?”

"We’re alright!" Paani replied in enthusiasm. "I mean, none of us are perfect… nobody is. But hey, we’ve all had those moments! Me, for instance!" He laughed, even if his comment did come off as a little rude.

"That gives me an idea,” The bunny’s ears perked up. “Let’s all watch the stars and talk about it. Let off some steam. I’m sure I could list more than you!"

"Oh, no! I’m in first place when it comes to that!" The macaque jokingly argued, posing like he wanted every sailor on the Pacific Ocean.

"Okay, ARIEL,” the ranger laughed, making sure Natquik was doing alright like he deserved. He was purring a bit, so that was good. Hopefully that would stay that way.

As time went by, the sun was completely down, and nearly everyone was giggling and laughing over each other’s little mishaps, like that time Yeshi mixed nattō into his soup, which left him in a food coma. Or maybe the time Tracker was trying to watch Neon Genesis Evangelion and ended up playing The Cruel Angel’s Thesis over the entire PA system of Mackenzie King Island at 2 in the morning. Maybe even the time Paani cut up all of his ties on purpose. No one even knew he wore ties before.

Professor Natquik, however, didn’t say a single word. He was in the same sitting position from when he first reached the coast, and… he’d have stopped purring now. Could be trouble, so Marsh tugged his arm making sure he was fine.

“What happened?” He calmly asked, so as to not startle him. “Now what’s on your mind?”

“I don’t know,” Natquik shook his head in recurring worry. It wasn’t Tracker or Paani, though. No, it was something definitely more obvious. This had been the case earlier, and while he was feeling better over it, he was falling into depression again.

“I’m thinking of Barnacles. That’s all.” He put his head down in regret, knowing this wasn’t good for him. It would leave him feeling unwell again. Right now wasn’t a time to stress out, so why was he?

Of course, Barnacles WAS practically his son, so he did have a reason to worry, even if he was away from him most of the time.

But with what happened, the polar bear was of his greatest concern. And now, he didn’t feel like waiting any longer.

“I’m sorry, Marsh. I still don’t understand it… It’s like I’ll never see him again. He’s down there… probably better without me, but… You know what, I suppose that’s normal. Take Tracker, for example… He’s growing up, and I’m more than proud of him. Gone so far, above and below the surface…”

“I’ve always wanted to tell him that.”

And then, came another voice. One that lived in Natquik’s heart ever since the day he called it his son’s. One that had grown up so broken, yet so proud. One that deserved so much love, so much care, so much joy… just like who he himself had found.

“I’m right here.”

The fox looked up, and there he was.

Barnacles. It was BARNACLES.

#alternate universe #alternative universe #reclaimed by nature #octonauts au #mermaid au #octonauts mermaid au #octonauts

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