Do You Blame Yourself?

[Chapter 3] - Racing Under The Tides

The two darted out of the kitchen, racing their way towards the HQ. They both tried not to burst out in laughter in fear of waking up the others. They went their opposite ways to try and make it to the HQ faster than the other. Footsteps were heard banging against the metal floor as they approached the entrance to the HQ. Kwazii latched onto the ladder and flung himself upwards, getting a head start. As he climbed his way up, the captain tried to do the same, and they tripped over each other, both of them falling flat on their faces on the HQ floor. They looked at each other and burst out laughing. Kwazii rolled on his side, cackling. Barnacles was trying to catch his breath, but the two were laughing too much.

Kwazii looked to his side towards the sun. His eyes opened wider than before. "Woah."
Barnacles looked over in the same direction Kwazii was looking, and there was a sunrise, just like the ones Kwazii had always seen when he came into the HQ, but this one was by far the most beautiful one he had seen.

"We should really get off the floor," Kwazii said, not taking his eyes off the sunrise. Barnacles got up and offered a hand to Kwazii, who was laying flat on his back. Kwazii looked up and grabbed the captain's hand. He hoisted Kwazii back up on his feet, and the two sat down and waited.

The morning was quiet, the crew was mostly in the HQ. The reason it was so quiet was probably because Kwazii wasn't talking.
"You all right, Kwazii? You're awfully quiet today," Shellington asked, turning around to look at him. Kwazii looked up.
"I'm fine, Shellington. I'm just wondering where Peso is." Everything went quiet.
"Kwazii has a point. Where is Peso?" Tweak asked as the crew looked around trying to see if he was just hanging out in the corner of the room, or something.
"I'll go check on him," Kwazii said before leaving the room. The crew watched him go.
"He seems more concerned about Peso than ever," Dashi pointed out.
"You think so?" Tweak asked. Dashi turned to look at her before nodding.

Kwazii knocked at the sick bay's door. "Peso? You in there, matey?"
The door opened and Peso stood in the doorway.
"Hey, Kwazii!" Peso said, his shock turning into a smile. Kwazii smiled back and looked around the room.
"What are ya doing?" he asked before stepping into the sick bay. Peso sighed softly.
"Just some reorganizing. Don't want to grab Advil when I actually need to grab my medical bag," he said with a chuckle. Kwazii turned to look at the shorter of the two.
"Is everyone in the HQ?" Peso asked, turning to Kwazii. He nodded.
"We were all wondering where you were," Kwazii said before looking away. Peso's eyes went wide.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think everyone would be that worried," Peso said, shrinking in his spot.
"It's no big deal, matey! We were just a bit worried, that's all," Kwazii said. Peso looked up at Kwazii.
"You sure it's not that big of a deal?" he questioned once more.
"No hard feelings," Kwazii said with a smile. He turned to head out of the sick bay. "Aye, when you're done, just come up to the HQ, okay?" Kwazii said. Peso turned around.
"You got it," he said with a grin that spread from ear to ear. Kwazii smiled even harder, and he made his way back to the HQ.

As Kwazii made his way back to the HQ, a million thoughts ran through his head.

Why does my face feel hot?

Am I blushing?

Did I say something weird?

All of these thoughts crashing down like waves on a beach. He shook his head as if that would shake all of his thoughts right out. He entered the HQ once more, with a glowing red face. Barnacles looked over at him. "Did something happen?" Kwazii looked up quickly.
"Nope. Peso's just doing some reorganizing," he said before walking to the other side of the room and sitting down.

Barnacles walked over to Shellington. "Something's up," he said. Shellington looked behind him.
"What do you mean?" he asked, turning around in his chair and leaning forward so no one else could hear.
"Kwazii just came back from the sick bay, and now I'm starting to think he is sick."

Shellington raised an eyebrow.
"Why do you think that?" he questioned.
"His face is all red, but I haven't checked to see if he's got a fever," Barnacles stated. Shellington's eyes widened.
"Uh, maybe he's not sick, Captain," he muttered.
"What can you be suggesting?" Barnacles questioned. Shellington held his two hands up flat near his ears, and smacked his hands together quietly.
"Take the two of them, Kwazii and Peso, and do the math," he said, repeating his actions. Barnacles looked confused, but the second he got it, he put his hand over his mouth.

"Oh," he said. Shellington snickered before turning around.

Kwazii tried to keep his mind off what had just happened at the sick bay. Dashi looked over towards him.
"Kwazii, do you feel all right?" she asked, softening her stare. He looked over at her.
"I'm fine, don't worry," he said with a small smile.
"Are you sure?"

Kwazii nodded.
"I feel fine, matey. Don't worry."
Dashi turned back to what she was doing, and so did Kwazii.

Kwazii looked out the window, and just in the distance, he could see a reef. He tugged at Dashi's sleeve.
"Dashi, look," he said, pointing out the window towards the reef. She looked forward and grinned.
"I never noticed that!" she said. "Hey, Captain, come look at this." Dashi said pointing towards the reef. Barnacles walked over and looked forwards.
"Oh, I never noticed that!" he exclaimed with a smile.

"Never noticed what?" someone said behind them. They looked behind them, and there was Peso, holding his medical bag with a confused, but smiling face.
"There's a reef a little ways away, matey. Come look at it!" Kwazii said. A few seconds later, almost the entirety of the crew were huddled together, looking at the reef in the distance. It looked extremely pretty with all of its clashing colors.

Kwazii glanced over at Dashi. "Want to go investigate?" Dashi turned her head over towards him.
"Of course!" she said as the two got up and headed for the launch bay.
"Hey, wait up for me!" Barnacles called out, but the two were already gone. He shrunk in his spot, and turned around slowly. "I'll be right back," Barnacles said before chasing after the others.
"Wonder why they're so excited," Tweak asked.
"The reef was very pretty, maybe they wanted to get some photos," Professor Inkling said. Silence hung in the air as they all went back to what they were doing.

Kwazii and Dashi made their way to the launch bay with Barnacles right behind them.

"Wait, someone needs to open the hatch for them to exit the Octopod," Tweak said. She looked at the others before getting up. "I'll be right back, too," she said before slinging herself down the ladder.

She made it to the launch bay just in time. "Tweak, open-"
"The Octohatch. Got it, Cap," Tweak said before pulling on the lever, and waving goodbye to the three.
"Let's go, matey!" Kwazii shouted, throwing his hands in the air.

Words: 1252 Words.
this was a long chapter holy crap.
more drama coming in chapter 4 ;)