Driving Lessons - An Octonauts Story (complete)

Chapter Three - Dashi

A.N. All the time when I'm writing this I can hear the Scottish accent of Shellington saying the words that I'm writing. Is that weird? :) In this chapter there might be some Shellington/Dashi fluff. Anyway, enjoy Shelly' s first driving lesson with Dashi!

It was bright and early the next morning that Shellington heard a knock on his lab door. He must have fallen asleep at his table as he did so often now. Shellington chuckled softly as he stumbled to the door rubbing sleep from his eyes. When he opened it there stood Dashi, looking perky and wide awake, in a huge contrast to Shellington' s night cap and pyjamas. He stood there for a second comprehending her presence - c'mon, wake up Shellington - then did a half wave in an attempt to look cool.

"Hey Dashi. You're up early." The dachshund giggled, fingering the clips in her hair with that sweet smile.

"Are you ready for your first driving lesson Shel?" Mentally Shellington kicked himself, he had totally forgotten about the lesson with Dashi this morning.

"Er, I just woke up. Sorry I forgot." There was that tinkling laugh again, and Shellington forced himself to look into her warm brown eyes.

"No worries. I'll wait down in the Launch Bay for you when you're ready. I'll get Tweak to get a Gup ready for us."

"Sure. I'll be down in a few minutes." As Dashi left the lab Shellington quickly rushed over to his wardrobe and grabbed his boots and hat. He didn't want to keep Dashi waiting for him. In a daze he got dressed and grabbed his magnifying glass and his bag. Time to start driving. He gulped, suddenly feeling nervous. What if he crashed again? Or made a fool of himself in front of Dashi? That would be awful.

Down in the Launch Bay Dashi was waiting next to the Gup E. She turned and smiled at Shellington when she saw him, her eyes lighting up in a very pretty way. Shellington tried to keep the apprehensive look off his face as he approached; Tweak was standing by the desk not looking at Shellington. He guessed she was still a bit annoyed from yesterday.

"Hey Shellington, glad you're here. Time to go out." Dashi stepped into the Gup and Shellington jumped in after her. Normally when they went on missions together Dashi would automatically take the wheel and Shellington would be next to her. This time Shellington was directed to the wheel and Dashi stood just behind him. Shellington' s paws closed around the steering wheel. He gulped and tightened his hold. Dashi must have sensed his fear as she stepped up behind him and squeezed his hand, loosening his grip slightly.

"Don't worry Shel. I'll be here, and we're not doing anything too challenging. Just a leisurely drive along the sandy floor, not too fast. Tweak," this was directed at the engineer near them, "Open the Octo Hatch please!"

"Sure thing Dashi." Tweak pulled the lever and Shellington felt the ripples from the sea coming in through the open door. Immediately his mind panicked, but Dashi still had her hand on his.

"What do you have to do first?" Her voice was calm but kind. Shellington racked his mind for a second.

"Er, close the windscreen?" Dashi nodded beside him, and Shellington pressed the button to close them in. Tweak was watching from the Launch Bay. Shellington tried to focus, narrowing his eyes in concentration.

"And now?" Dashi prompted helpfully.

"Turn on the engine." Shellington remembered that lesson from the Captain and Tweak a while back when he had been going to see those remipedes. He had crashed then as well. Pushing these distractions out of his mind, Shellington pressed the button and the engine started up with a familiar whir. He couldn't help but smile as he looked over at the smiling Dashi.

"Now are you ready to go? I know this is the bit you have trouble with sometimes," Dashi quietly said. Shellington smiled ruefully, remembering the many times that he had capsized in the Launch Bay or sprayed the Captain and Tweak with water.

"Y yes I think I'm ready. Erm..." Shellington took hold of the steering wheel again, trying to relax his grip. Experimentally he moved it sideways, the Gup responded a split second later. Gaining confidence, he moved the wheel the other way, moving the Gup back towards the Octo Hatch.

"Now push the throttle forwards and down," Dashi instructed. Slowly, Shellington followed her guidance, moving the Gup downwards. Tweak waited at the side of the Launch Bay tank with baited breath, ready to jump out of the water's way if Shellington splashed her again. Normally this was the point where he lost control and the Gup either spun wildly or shot off out of the Octo Hatch too fast spraying the Launch Bay with water. But with Dashi' s guiding hand on his, he managed to steadily move down under water and out of the Octo Hatch. Tweak behind him sighed in relief, closing the Octo Hatch behind them.

Outside, Shellington was grinning in pride. "I did it! I actually managed to do it for once!"

Dashi smiled at him. "Well done Shel! I told you that you could do it! Now let's drive a little way along the sand..."

Shellington, following Dashi' s instructions, got quite a long way along the sand. He realized he was actually enjoying the experience, plus he hadn't made too much of a fool of himself yet. Dashi was a patient teacher, telling him what different functions did along the way. Shellington found he was having fun with the dachshund, her face seemed to light up with laughter when they joked together in a very pretty way. Shellington realized that he didn't feel awkward at all with Dashi, conversation came easily with her and he soon discovered they were nearly at the reef, half a mile away from the Octopod. It felt like no time had passed.

"Now if you want to quickly turn past an obstacle, you have to stop the Gup with this button here," Dashi gestured to it, "And move the throttle left or right quickly, pushing it forwards sharply. Try it with this rock coming up."

Shellington gulped nervously, his awkwardness returning in one breath.

"Dashi I really don't think... I might crash and hurt y ... us."

Dashi seemed unperturbed by his outburst. "Don't worry. I've been in a fair number of crashes as well you know. Just try it. I won't be cross, promise."

"Okaay..." Shellington drove until he was nearly at the rock. Then he pressed the button and - what next? Oh yes - he moved the throttle sharply forward and left. The Gup jolted suddenly and Shellington feared he had done something wrong, but then they were past the rock driving towards the reef. Shellington grinned, he had done it! Dashi' s face mirrored his own, her smile wide.

"We clipped the side of the rock but we didn't crash! Well done Shel! You're a great student."

Shellington swallowed his automatic awkward response - say it, SAY IT NOW - and instead opened his mouth to say something different.

"And you're a great teacher, Dashi."

Her smile showed him he'd said the right thing. Shellington wondered whether to add more, but decided not to. He wasn't sure whether Dashi - the cool, confident, pretty photographer - would accept him - the awkward shy geeky scientist.

"Thanks Shel. I think that's enough for today. Let's head back to the Octopod."

Shellington obediently turned the Gup around and drove slowly back. As he drove his head was full of unanswered questions shooting through his mind. But all of these were immediately blanked out when Dashi put her hand on his, turning his head to hers.

"Thanks for a great morning Shellington. I really enjoyed working with you. Maybe we could do it again sometime?"

Shellington, unable to form words, nodded. His heart was pumping twice as fast as he continued to drive back, those questions flying around his head once again.

Would Dashi ever like me?