Do You Blame Yourself?

[Chapter 4] - The Sting

As Dashi, Kwazii, and Barnacles approached the coral reef, Dashi pulled out her camera. Back at the Octopod, they could see what the three were seeing from the GUP.
"That's got to be the prettiest reef I've ever seen," Shellington said. They could see the entire reef from the Octopod, and it was absolutely gorgeous.

"Now, if we get out of the GUP, we have to be careful. We don't know what could be out there. Kwazii, can you-" Barnacles said before looking up, already seeing Kwazii swimming away from Dashi and the captain. "Kwazii, come on," he muttered.

Peso walked away for just a second to grab his medical bag, which he left across the room on a table. He turned to look back at the TV screen just to get another glimpse of the reef. He smiled and made his way back to his seat.

"Just a few fish species living around here, Cap'n," Kwazii shouted from the left side of the reef, "or at least, that's what's on my side," he added. Kwazii chewed on the inside of his cheek, just waiting for a response from the captain. He glanced around the reef just looking for the others. He just floated there, right in the water. What he didn't know was that something else just might have also been floating in his personal space.

It didn't make any sense, though.

How did Kwazii not notice this? You'd think it was something small, but no. It was a giant bluebottle jellyfish. The jellyfish slowly made its way towards him, and before you knew it, it was right next to Kwazii. He felt a string of pain and shock run through his body. "Shit!" he shouted, grabbing onto his arm. He whipped his head around to look for what might have caused that wave of pain, but nothing was there. His face scrunched up in confusion, and he looked at his arm in the area right below his shoulder. Nothing. Kwazii's eyes widened, and he tried to forget about it.

Even though it stung like crazy.

Dashi was making her way from Barnacles's side of the reef to Kwazii's, recording her journey. "There's so many different types of fish here!" she said, panning her camera around.
"It looks amazing, Dashi! I'll have to come check it out later!" Shellington said grinning like a little kid.
"What's on your side, Kwazii?" she asked turning her camera towards Kwazii.
"Nothing much, Dashi. Just some really neat fish and more coral reef," he said, shrugging, "but it looks awesome!" he added after.

At the Octopod, everyone was amazed.

Except Peso.

His smile turned to a frown very slowly. "Wait, Dashi. Go back to Kwazii," he said making his way even closer to the screen. Kwazii overheard his name and turned to the camera. He threw up a peace sign and smiled.
"Ya know, I could've just stayed at the Octopod if you liked looking at me so much, matey," he said, trying not to burst out laughing again. Peso's face went completely red.
"No, look at your arm, Kwazii!!" he shouted, pointing at the screen.
"Wait, what is on your arm?" Dashi asked, getting closer to him. Kwazii pulled down his arm, taking a good hard stare at his forearm.
"Oh, my god, what's on my arm?" he yelled.
"What's going on?" Barnacles asked, peering over the top of the reef.
"Come look at Kwazii's arm, Captain," she said. Barnacles swam over the top of the coral and floated next to the two.
"I don't know what it is!" Dashi said.
"Neither do I!" Kwazii said.
"Calm down, you two. We'll get back to the Octopod as soon as possible," he said. Dashi stopped recording and silence hung in the air at the Octopod.

"Oh, no, no, no..." Peso muttered under his breath. He rushed to the launch bay to greet the others, the rest of the crew following behind.
"Do you know what that was?" Shellington asked.
"No, but all I know is that it looks bad," Peso said with a worried tone.

As the GUP-A sped to the Octopod, Kwazii sat in the back with Dashi. "Do you feel all right?" she asked. Kwazii nodded slowly, as if he were about to fall asleep.
"We're almost back, Kwazii. Just stay awake," Barnacles stated.
"I know that," Kwazii babbled. "I'm no idiot."

Peso and the rest of the crew, including the Vegimals, were waiting in the launch bay. "I have no idea what that was, but I hope it isn't that bad," Peso whispered to Tweak.
"He'll be fine," she assured him.
"What if he isn't? Then what's going to happen?"
Tweak looked down at Peso. She opened her mouth to say something, but she didn't.
"I don't know. Let's just hope whatever it is, that it isn't severe," she stated. Peso looked back at the water that was sloshing around. His eyes were drained of color, with his hands wrapped around his torso.

As the GUP-A entered the launch bay, there were a ton of questions.
"Hold on you guys, let him breathe," Peso said, trying to get a closer look at Kwazii's arm. It was almost completely swollen, with blisters everywhere. "I've never seen anything like this. Come on, we've got to get to the sick bay," he said, tugging on Kwazii's shirt.

"I don't have a clue what this is from. Did you see anything near you?" Peso asked. Everyone was packed into the sick bay just wanting to know what was going on and if Kwazii was going to be okay. Kwazii, on the other hand, was completely out of it.
"When I turned around, there wasn't anything there," he replied. Peso nodded.
"All right..." he said, his words trailing off.

"What do you think it is?"

Peso rubbed his eyes and turned his head to look at everyone at once. "It's a jellyfish sting," he stated. They all looked at each other. Tunip whispered something to Shellington, and he looked up at Peso.
"Tunip wants to know if everything's going to be okay," he asked. Peso looked down at Tunip.
"Yes, it will. Don't worry," he assured him. "I just don't know what kind of jellyfish stung him, and if I don't know that, then I also don't know what kind of treatment I should use," he said. He could just slap on some cream and a few bandages but that couldn't just be it.
"Wait, let me see it," Shellington exclaimed before rushing over. Peso held up Kwazii's arm so Shellington wouldn't have to. Kwazii just stayed quiet, hoping no one would ask him anything.

"Wait, I swear I've seen this before. It was the jellyfish with the... oh, it had a color in its name," Shellington said, snapping his fingers. "Oh, a bluebottle! That's what it's from!" he shouted. Everyone looked at each other, trying to remember if they had seen something with that name.
"What are you rambling on about?" Kwazii asked, genuinely confused.
"Oh, why didn't I realize this sooner?" Shellington said, smacking himself in the head. "They're poisonous, but they aren't deadly."

"Oh, thank god," Kwazii said before passing out and almost falling off the bed. Peso grabbed him by the shoulders and all of his body weight was on top of the poor medic.
"Can someone help me out with him?" he stammered, trying to hoist Kwazii back up to try and bandage him up.

About two hours passed, and Kwazii opened his eyes slowly, blinked a few times, then basically almost levitated out of his bed trying to figure out where he was. He tried to position himself onto his side but he collapsed onto his mattress. "What the-"
"Oh, you're finally awake!" a soft voice said from the end of his bed. Kwazii whipped his head around to see who was there. There was Peso, just sitting on a chair.
"How long have you been there?" Kwazii asked. Peso shrugged.
"About fifteen minutes or so. I knew you'd wake up around this time," Kwazii blinked a few times.
"You didn't have to do that," he mumbled.
"I know, but I wanted to," Peso said, getting up and walking over, "and your arm looked pretty bad, so I just did a few simple things. I hope they'll help," Kwazii flopped back down and put his hands above his head. "and I didn't bother to put a shirt on because it would be over your arm, just for safety reasons, though," Peso said, shrinking in his spot once again. Kwazii glanced over at Peso. His eyes widened and he shot upwards, pulling the covers over his head.
"Matey, I'm sorry as hel-"
"It's no big deal."

Kwazii looked over. "What?" he asked. Peso froze in his spot.
"Uh, nothing," he stammered, blushing like an idiot. The two stared at each other, awkwardness hanging in the air. "Sorry about that," Peso whispered.
"Like you said, it's no big deal," Kwazii said with a grin. They looked at each other before laughing.
"Okay, that was funny, but I recommend staying off that arm of yours," Peso said, pointing to Kwazii's left arm.
"I learned that the hard way a minute ago when I tried to lay on it," he said. Peso's face scrunched up, and he chuckled a bit.
"Well, try not to do that," Peso said, walking towards the door.
"All right, matey."

Words: 1577 Words
this is the longest chapter yet holy moly
(key word: yet)
uhh this story needs more kwaso