Searching Science - An Octonauts Story Book 3 (complete)

Chapter Two - Lab

A/N) Memories back to Chapter 2 of Welding Hearts with this chapter :D

"So. What do you want to learn first?" Shellington threw a fond smile backwards to Dashi as he led the way into his lab, covered in its usual clutter of scattered test tubes and textbooks that she had grown to love about the place. They already spent lots of time together either in his lab or out on missions as it was, it was nice to make it a little more official.

The dachshund shrugged cheerfully. "I'll leave that up to you. You're the scientist."

"I think you'll find that the point of this venture is to make you the scientist," he reminded her teasingly. Shellington hopped onto a lab stool, scooting it up to the edge of the desk and beginning to sort through a pile of books. "Now, where is that entry on sea slugs..."

Absently, the neat-by-nature Dashi began to tidy the lab table that she sat at as she waited for a distracted Shellington to decide on a place to start with her studies, collecting together coloured pens and stowing them away in a likely-looking tin, before finding a pair of goggles and deciding to slide them over her eyes. When Shellington next looked up, he laughed to see Dashi looking demurely at him through large glass frames, blinking cutely and tilting her head, while trying not to giggle herself. "You've got the scientist look on point already," he reasoned, only his head visible as he ducked under the lab bench to rescue a stray book.

"That's half the battle," agreed Dashi readily, pulling on a white lab coat as well to complete the look and striking another cute pose.

After the day's mission, the Octonauts had all gathered in the Launch Bay to welcome back their travelling team, as they did after most days, before all heading up to the HQ or the kitchen to eat together, all while recounting the day's events. Captain Barnacles had congratulated the two scientists on their rapid help in completing the mission and finding Sally the swordfish's home, and they had both flushed with the praise. They had decided to excuse themselves early from tea, having eaten as many kelp cakes as they could manage, and thanked Tunip for the tasty meal before heading off to the lab. Typically, Kwazii was instantly aware at any attempt at being succinct, and called after them as they left: "Ooh, Dashi and Shellington want some time alone!" This resulted in gasps and giggles from the rest of their crew, the Vegimals loudest of all, as both Octonauts threw the smirking cat forbidding looks.

Dashi supposed they did want some time alone, but that was beside the point.

"Now, you probably know quite a lot of this stuff already from uploading it all to the Octopod database," remembered Shellington, having chosen a selection from the many piles of books left around the room and bringing them to the main lab bench. 

The dachshund nodded, also recalling when she had first got to grips with Tweak's computer design, and had undertaken the momentous task of typing out all the data they already had on creatures and places they had encountered on their travels. She updated it regularly as well, with any new species they discovered or new environments they had explored, which was a big help when Shellington needed a little reminder on the traits of a certain sea creature, but didn't fancy trawling through the entirety of Inkling's library with the octopus professor. "I guess I will know some of it. But any Octonaut knows the basics. You're the one to go to for the specifics of it all, Shelly."

"So, I figured we'd start with one of my favourite subjects - what you might see on a coral reef!"

By her vibrant smile, Shellington knew he had chosen well. "I love coral reefs," the sea otter's girlfriend said dreamily, thinking back to all the many photos she had set there. "It'll be really nice to know a little more about it."

"That's what I thought," agreed Shellington. "Now, being me - as I suppose this is about - isn't all about books and lab work, despite what Kwazii may insist."

"It's a good start, though," Dashi said, taking the top book from the precarious pile and flicking to a page, where many different colours of coral glinted at her in the pictured sunlight. To her photographer's eye, it was a good picture: much to the style of her own photography that she spent so much of her free time on.

"But much of my work is on field missions as well, going out and exploring new places, or helping discover new creatures," he continued. "Coral reefs are a great place to see so many species living peacefully alongside each other, but the coral itself is -"

"Fascinating?" she completed humorously.

Shellington couldn't hide his own silly grin. "You took the word straight out of my mouth."

"We've already done a few field missions together on coral reefs," Dashi mused. "Measuring the lengths of baby sea coral is always my favourite, though. They're so cute!"

Both Octonauts simultaneously thought back to almost five months ago now, when Kwazii had finally summoned the courage to ask the crew engineer out, due to (as he had confessed later) being slightly jealous of how Dashi and Shellington could just go out together on science missions and talk the day away. As Dashi recalled, they had been measuring coral then. It was somewhat of an inside joke between them now, much as Kwazii blushed and tried to avoid the subject at times...

"I'd like to teach you the three main types of reef, as well as some of the types of coral you can find on one - would you like to do that?" The biologist suddenly looked slightly worried, his brown eyes widening almost imperceptibly in the way that Dashi had memorised over the last six months and the last nine years of knowing him. "Just say if you don't - we can do something else -"

The photographer-come-scientist gave an encouraging look. "That sounds like fun!" she enthused, wiping the doubt from his furrowed brow.

Evidently relieved at her willingness, Shellington gestured to the lab stool beside him and Dashi obligingly hopped from the table to sit beside her boyfriend, reminding herself that she was here to learn, not to - get distracted, as the Captain might say. "Now, there are three types of reef," he started enthusiastically, already descending into his familiar geeky rambling that Dashi knew and loved about him. She could honestly listen to him for hours, if they didn't have a job to do. "Fringing, barrier, and atoll..."