Hush, Little Penguin

Little Octonaut

Dashi hopped out of the Gup C, chipper about all the photos she'd gotten. "Chill out, Dashi," Tweak admonished. "We see coral reefs all the tie."

"I know, but this one was brimming with life! Those fish were so beautiful." Shellington nodded his head in agreement. "Some of those species could only be found in coral reefs in this part of the ocean."

Kwazii front-flipped out of the Gup B, looking sour. "Shellington, you've gotta admit that some monsters might be out there." The sea otter rolled his eyes. "For the last time, Kwazii, there's no such thing as monsters." He stressed every word so Kwazii would understand. The cat slumped his shoulders. "It's a big ocean out there, me hearty." The professor jumped in before the argument could escalate. "There is no monster; only species." Shellington smirked, but Kwazii jumped in. "That doesn't make you right!"

Inkling sighed. They'd had this argument forever. It was starting to get old.

Luckily, Tweak thought the same thing. She whirled around, and put her paws on her hips. "If you two don't knock it off, I will knock your heads together to see whose is harder!" For Kwazii and Shellington, that was their cue to quit. But the professor was worried. "Tweak. Keep it down. Peso and the captain are here." The rabbit turned on her heel toward the Octoshute. "Hmph. I say..." Before she could finish her threat, a baby cry floated from upstairs. The Octonauts glanced at each other. "Did something get in?" Dashi inquired.

"If so, at least the captain's here with it." Tweak shrugged, continuing her path to the Octoshute. When it opened, another high pitched noise came through, clearer this time. They looked at each other again. Whatever it was, it was coming from the den.

"How could a baby animal get inside?" Kwazii wondered aloud as they traveled down the hall to the den.  Shellington shrugged, seeming to have forgotten about their disagreement. "I don't know. Maybe the captain let it in?" They entered the den, not knowing they were about to get the shock of their lives.

Dashi, leading the group, stopped short. The captain was sitting on the couch, reading a book.  On the floor was a blanket decorated with snowflakes, and covered with toys. And amongst it all was Peso, crawling on the floor in a pink baby sleeper. Barnacles glanced up from his book, and greeted them as if this were the most normal thing in the world. "Hello. How were things in the coral reef?"

"Good," Dashi answered, looking back at Peso. The little penguin hadn't  noticed them yet. He seemed much more interested in a strange little toy that was bright red and moved on wheels when he touched it. Forgetting about confusion, Dashi smiled. "Awww. He's so cute." Inkling tipped his head at the sight. Of course, he hadn't expected this, but he wasn't surprised either. Forced to grow up prematurely, Peso must still have had some childhood left in him, wanting to be let out. Barnacles, sensing obvious confusion, went about explaining everything. Inkling clasped his tentacles together when he got to the part about child abuse, and broke in to add some details that Dr. Galen had shared with him. He could sense sympathy from the others, and Dashi was near tears. She knelt down next to Peso and gathered him into her arms.  Peso let her hold him, all excited about seeing them. He smiled cutely at them all, giggling when Kwazii tipped his head, taking it all in. "I still don't get it. Where did he come up with this?" Barnacles was about to answer, when surprisingly,  Shellington broke in. "For some Littles, it's like an urge. For most, though, it's because they're trapped."

"Trapped?" Tweak inquired, sounding like she didn't believe any of it. Shellington nodded. "Everyone has a spot inside them that's very hidden and very hard to find. Most people find it when they've been hurt so much, that they won't let anyone touch or hurt them again. Most people who find it don't come back, either because they can't or they won't. In a lot of cases, it causes severe changes in the person, such as memory loss or mood swings."