A/N) Here is the next instalment in this MAMMOTH story of mine: your questions for the illustrious Professor Inkling! I was desperate to get this fully written before Christmas and published for you guys, so... that just about happened. Luckily it's not quite as long as Chapter Peso for obvious reasons. Hope you enjoy ;D
"It is all right for you to sit back looking smug," the Professor informed the rest of his crew somewhat accusingly. "You have already had your questioning."
Kwazii was grinning the widest, unafraid to show his smugness, while Peso was trying not to look too relieved that he wasn't being molested by fans any longer. "You'll be fine, Professor," Dashi replied encouragingly.
Tweak wasn't looking so sure. "Good luck," was all she said.
Tunip chittered something nervously.
"He says he knows how you feel," offered Shellington helpfully. "He and the Vegimals still haven't been questioned, and he's fairly sure they're not escaping it any time soon."
Inkling laid a tentacle on the Vegimal's head. "Thank you, Tunip. At least I know I am not alone in my apprehension."
Izzy's head popped up from under the table, followed by Adele's. "Hey," she greeted. "You ready, Inkers?"
"As long as you refrain from calling me Inkers..." The Professor hesitated for a brief moment, apparently readying himself. "I am ready."
"Great!" Izzy produced the next black folder - 'Inkers' scribbled in pink pen over the front - and leapt gracefully back into her beanbag, landing cross-legged and grinning. (If she hadn't been writing this story right now that manoeuvre would have doubtless gone terribly wrong.) "Let's begin then, with... TweakAgathaBunny!"
Dashi, as ever, was enthusiastic to read first, and swiped the question sheet from the folder. "Let's have the first question, Inkling."
'What books do you enjoy? (I highly recommend lotr, both the books and movies.) '
"Well, I live in a library, so there are many books that I enjoy," smiled Inkling.
"I think I would literally die of happiness if I lived in a library," mused Izzy.
"True that," agreed Adele.
"I do enjoy rereading the various non-fiction books I have in the Octopod library, trying to refresh my knowledge on the abundance of creatures and amazing science that surrounds the ocean. However I do occasionally enjoy some fiction while I'm on standby during a mission that everyone else goes out on. I do have quite a lot of time for reading, so I have read many of the books in my library."
"That's a lot of books," pointed out Dashi.
If you happened to come across this figure; what would you do?
"I would probably be rather apprehensive first and foremost, then want to know what manner of tentacled monster it is. Maybe a mutated descendant of the giant squid?"
"Maybe it's one of your relatives, Professor!" grinned Kwazii cheekily.
The Professor gave him a forbidding look. "If you say so, Kwazii," he sighed.
'Speaking of mythical creatures; there's another kind out there in the anime verse that certainly LOOK human, but are actually countries, for instance; these are the allies; http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/28900000/hetalia-paint-it-white-wallpaper-hetalia-the-allies-28926098-600-450.jpg and these are the axis; http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/hetalia/images/f/f1/Hetalia_axis_powers_474_1680.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140628173129&path-prefix=answers
Can you guess which countries they are?'
"I couldn't possibly be qualified to guess."
"Aww, go on, Professor," Izzy prompted. "Give it a go."
The octopus gave another heavy sigh that detailed exactly how hard done by he felt. "Fine. Countries, you say? Maybe the first one on the far left could be Russia, I could maybe imagine him as a personified version of that. And the rightmost one I can see being a very natural countrified country - maybe somewhere in Africa? The artwork is certainly very talented, anyway. Nothing that I could ever successfully attempt."
Do you like any musicals? If so, which ones? My favorites are Cats, The Phantom of The Opera (apparently the sequel [Love Never Dies] was crap to the fans), Les Miserables, The Little Mermaid on Broadway (no duh!), Rent, Hetalia; Singin' in the world, The Octonauts and the deep-sea volcano adventure, and The Sound of Music. I've only seen Sound of Music, Les Mis, Phantom, and TLM on Broadway (which is actually better than the movie, I highly recommend it.) I've only heard audio/seen clips of Cats, Rent, Hetalia; Singin' in the world, and Love Never Dies (I'm hooked onto the song Till I hear you sing, the sequel might have been bad, but that is one heck of a song!) I have not been able to find videos on you guys' musical, yet. ;)'
-TweakAgathaBunny
All the eyes in the room turned extremely suspiciously to Izzy in the process of a helpless shrug. "Our musical? The Octonauts and the Deep Sea Volcano Adventure?" Tweak demanded.
"You have fans. Let's leave it at that for now," Izzy tried innocently.
Tweak narrowed her eyes. "For now," she murmured somewhat ominously.
Inkling thought about it for a moment, four tentacles tapping at his chin. "I have to admit I have not seen many musicals, being, well - an octopus and a busy one at that. Back when I was at university, I saw Les Miserables, which was very good. Tweak has also managed to stream the filming of a musical called Wicked to the Octopod computers in the past, which is a prequel to The Wizard Of Oz and which I have to admit is very good indeed."
"I remember that," Peso piped up from his armchair. "We all sat around on beanbags in the Games Pod and watched it at night. The Vegimals jumped at every scary bit and we got quite a collection of fish outside the window watching it too."
"Thanks very much for your questions to Inkling, Jasmine," Izzy said for what had to be the fiftieth time this story. She was looking pretty tired, come to think of it. "Next up - Barnacles, you read."
'Greetings Professor, I have got a few questions
Wildfire: hey what'cha doin
You set the kitchen on fire again didn't you
Frostbite: He was cooking cereal
Wow *sighs* right I'll take care of that after this
Anyway what on earth made you so determined to gather a crew and help the ocean?
Geysersprout: Hiiiiii I'm the prince of water
Ok everybody stop interupting me. Sorry. How do you feel that you are doing a great job?
Ignore those three they're idiots
*sound of three distant voices saying hey simultaneously*
- Toysinaction34
"Consider them - ignored?" wondered Inkling.
Izzy nodded wisely. "Probably safest, yes."
"Well, my main motivation to start up the crew was partially that people told me it was a terrible idea in the first place while I was planning it at university, so of course I had to go ahead and do it after that," Inkling remembered fondly.
Kwazii whooped and aimed some form of fistbump at the Professor, who reluctantly lifted a tentacle, bumping the end of it against Kwazii's clenched fist. "Get it, Prof," Kwazii decided with a grin.
"And also I saw what terrible things were happening in my home, the ocean, and I felt, as a marine professor and an inhabitant to boot, I had the responsibility to try and help. So I formed the Octonauts."
"And here we are," noted Shellington.
"Or I wouldn't probably have a job," Kwazii pointed out unabashedly.
"And I do feel that we're doing a good job of protecting the ocean, since many creatures seem to benefit from our assistance and we are making many new discoveries as well, which benefits the world scientific community," Inkling explained.
"Short but sweet," Adele remarked. "Have the question paper, Shellington. Time to read. Definitely in a high-pitched voice like the first sentence suggests, by the way."
Shellington looked slightly nervous but settled down to read nonetheless.
'*crashes through the window* SORRY I'M LLAAAAAATTE!!!!
Man, I have a lot of questions, even though I never really paid that much attention to Inkling.
(You still rock, though! <333)
So, Prof. Inkling, I know for a fact that you're an elder, your voice just gives it away. If us ladies were asked this question, we would have a fit, but men don't, so I'll ask you this now: How old are you?
What do octopus eat? Fish? Because I have no clue.
What would you do if you read ALL your books in your library? What would your decision be then?
Have you ever thought of taking up writing?
Do you have any books other than oceanology/seaology ?
Do you have any difficulty getting socks on?
Lastly, if you DO own socks.. how many pairs do you own? ;)
Lastly, I want to know your motivations behind founding the Octonauts. It's pretty cool that someone cares about the ocean, but I'm curious as to why. I probably already know the answer, but I'd like to hear it from you.
Well, that's all for now! Toodle-loodles!
~O-ctonaut
"I am in my late sixties in your years," Inkling told her. "Octopuses have a slightly different method of measuring age, but the effect is still the same."
Tunip suddenly chirped something that sounded oddly like 'You're way old!"
Inkling gave a searching look to the resident Vegimalese translator in the room. Shellington could only shrug. "You probably don't want to know," he reasoned sensibly.
"Well, a normal octopus diet is comprised mainly of small fish, crabs and molluscs, with occasional larger prey thrown into the mix," Inkling recited knowledgably for the next question. "But as I am an Octonaut first and foremost, and eating fish would basically go against my Octonaut principles -" Inkling paused for dramatic effect. "I am a vegetarian."
"Awesome," commented Izzy after a moment.
"Kelp cakes are an especially important substitute to my species' normal diet," Inkling commented, apparently feeling quite chatty now the ball had begun rolling. "And fish biscuits, of course, made in abundance by our incredibly talented cooking crew."
Tunip chirped excitably at the reference and gave a slight bow which made Dashi and Izzy giggle.
"Remind me of the next couple of questions, Shellington?" Inkling asked, somewhat ruefully adding: "I'm getting old, you know. My memory's not as good as it used to be."
Shellington obligingly did so.
"Ah, yes. Thank you, Shellington. If I read all the books in my library - which I haven't quite achieved just yet, by the way, but one day it will happen - I would probably just get more books."
"My life principle," commented Izzy utterly seriously. Because it was. Y'know.
"Maybe one day, if I ever get a chance to relax a little and pause in my travels of the world, I would perhaps like to take up my memoirs. Write the stories surrounding the Octonauts, publicise our story to the world." Inkling smiled a little as he thought of it, probably visualising a title or a cover.
"Ever considered writing fiction. Or fanfiction?" Adele wanted to know.
"Fiction - not really. I'll leave that to the people with too much imagination and not enough world adventures to write that. I much prefer real life, if I'm honest."
"Reality is a looovely place, but I wouldn't wanna live there..."
"Stop quoting Owl City lyrics in random conversations, Izzy," Adele reminded her sister with a grin. "You're one of the overimaginative/underexperienced fiction writers that the good professor is referring to here."
Izzy gave a little wave to the wall, which tried its best to ignore her attention. "Heeello," she grinned, being very much the accused and proud of it.
"Most of the books in my library are for reference purposes and therefore yes on the oceanology front. However, as I have already mentioned, I am not averse to a good fiction novel now and then. Occasionally travel writing, such as Bill Bryson, strikes my fancy also."
"How about Twilight?"
"I think you probably already know the answer to that question, Isabella."
Izzy raised her cartoon eyebrows. "That's not even my name, but okay. I know how you like your big words, Professor."
"I don't own many pairs of socks, to be honest, so I don't have trouble getting non-existent socks on as a result," mused Inkling. In any other circumstance, this would have been a completely random reply to the question or at the very least an extremely abrupt subject change, but since it was the next question on the list Izzy let him off. Plus - socks.
"Does anyone here actually wear socks?" Izzy, curious, wanted to know to the room. "Being anthropomorphised (see, Professor, I know big words too!) animals and all that. Sea otters don't tend to wear socks, though Shellington can pull off a good dishevelled nightcap look when he wants to."
"I wear socks!" Dashi verified happily.
"They have lace and occasionally butterflies on them," said Shellington unexpectedly. "And are pink, of course. They are Dashi's, after all."
"Boyfriend skills," noted Izzy. "I'm not even going to ask how you know that, Shel."
"My flippers are too big to comfortably wear socks," said Peso sadly, like it was a big hole in his life. It probably was, in actuality. Antarctica was pretty cold.
"I probably own around three pairs that inexpert relatives have got me over past Christmases and that I haven't got around to regifting or burning yet," Inkling told the room matter-of-factly. "I'd need four pairs just to cover every tentacle in one sitting, so I'm guessing they were from relatives who either didn't know me all that well, or were just a bit dim and didn't understand the basic anatomy of an octopus which is required when shopping for socks for aforementioned relative. Either that or maybe they just thought buying four pairs of all-matching socks was a bit expensive so just sent me one and promised to send the other three pairs over the following three Christmases."
"Where do your relatives shop for socks?"
Inkling was doing a pretty good job of ignoring Izzy's random comments. "And I've really already answered the motivation question: I sought to help the ocean because I saw terrible things that went on while I was growing up, so I wanted to dedicate my life to protecting other sea creatures from harm."
"You know, I think I got way too involved with writing out and answering the sock questions," realised Izzy in an undertone, her mind ticking about half a minute slow, like a lazy watch.
"Thank you very much, O-ctonaut!" Adele applauded, taking over while Izzy's mentality caught up with itself. "Next up are a few questions from KateSeleneMelody3OCS." Not bothering to ask who wanted to read, she threw the question paper in the general direction of the room. A brief scuffle ensued, from which a satisfied-looking Kwazii emerged victorious.
'Hello Professor!
I have to ask, what inspired you to create the Octonauts, and are there other Octonauts elsewhere?'
"Already answered the creation inspiration question -"
"Rhymes, though :D -" Izzy noted cheerfully, now back on local Inkling o' clock time with the rest of them.
"But the second part is an interesting point," Inkling said approvingly, trying to ignore the emoticon use. (Scary smileys.) "The answer is no, since we travel all over the world to help everywhere we can. I know there are many equivalent groups like us on land, but as far as I know we are the sole crew that performs our function exactly like we do. Maybe one day we could create another branch of the Octonauts, expand our range."
'I am inspired so much to be a marine biologist/oceanographer. Its been my dream for as long as I can remember.'
"Not me," Kwazii felt like he had to verify. "Pirating has always been the path for me. And occasional cryptozoologist when the mood takes me. The questioner, that is."
Shellington smiled encouragingly. "I highly recommend the marine biologist route. It's an excellent career choice, though most graduates aren't as lucky as me to get to travel around and actively learn on the job. Still, if you care about the ocean and its creatures for now and the future, it's an ideal path to take."
"Be an oceanographer," Inkling interrupted slightly teasingly. "We know much more."
"You like to think that!"
"We like to think it because it's true."
"Children, children," Izzy quickly intervened between Shellington and Inkling. "Calm yourselves. There's still half a chapter to go before a break. We can do this."
'What's your favorite book?'
"Twilight." Inkling actually laughed out loud at the horrified look on Izzy's face. "No, just joking. I apologise profusely, Izzy. That was cruel. I read a lot, as has already been verified, but an absolute favourite of mine ever since I was a young octopus was a book my father used to read to us, a classic called 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea."
"Very apt," noted Izzy, still slightly miffed by the Twilight reference.
"I have so many oceanography books I could never choose a favourite, however," Inkling says honestly. "The most thumbed of them tend to be the more general reference ones, or the ones that I actually update with my own insights now and then."
"See, you do write," corrected Adele.
'Have you ever had to go to boarding school?'
"You'll probably want to talk to Peso about that, as he went to medicine school when he was eleven and stayed there for three years in a sort of specialised boarding school, I suppose. I, however, didn't leave home fully until I was nineteen and went to university on land, so I never really had a boarding school type experience since I shared a house with a couple of friends then."
"Imagining you as nineteen kinda makes my brain go a bit funny," said Tweak, screwing up her eyes for a moment.
"Imagining me as nineteen has much the same effect on me at present," agreed Inkling. "'Twas a long time ago now."
'What's it like switching from jet propulsion to fin propulsion?'
"Again, not technically my area of expertise. Tweak would probably tell you all the mechanisms surrounding it."
Tweak opened her mouth but was cut off by Izzy. "No time now," explained the fangirl. "Write her a letter back later with a full technical rant if you feel the need to."
"But from experience of travelling using different forms of propulsion in the Octopod and in the Gups - smaller and powered by fin propulsion, while the Octopod is kept aloft by jet propulsion - I would say it's like switching from riding in a car to a motorbike, not that I've had much experience of either of those either. Jet propulsion is smoother and a lot more powerful, while fin propulsion is a little less secure but faster and simpler to use with just a few controls. I don't mess around with the jet engines for obvious reasons." Inkling gestured a tentacle or two helplessly in the air. "I leave that to Tweak."
Tweak grinned. "It's great, I can assure you."
'Also... can I join the crew? I really feel at home in the water (more than I do on land!) and love love LOVE sea creatures of all sorts. I'm trying very hard to get a duel doctorate in the aforementioned subjects. Please? It's my dream to be a marine conservationist.
- KateSeleneMelody3OCS'
"I can always consider an application, although I think we have everything we need on the crew for the present," Inkling said regretfully. "I would love to take lots of new people onto the crew, but there's just not room. Plus it wouldn't really be the Octonauts any more, I suppose. But it's amazing that you're so serious about it and are working hard on the subjects you need to work on to achieve your dream. That's how you get anywhere in life, after all. And maybe one day there will be a crew waiting for a marine biologist expert just like you."
"Thank you very much, KateSeleneMelody3OCS, for your questions!" Izzy said happily. "I am actually considering marine biology myself, actually, amongst other things."
Inkling face-palmed with three or four tentacles at once. "God help us if that ever happens."
"Bit rude." Izzy didn't seem all that insulted, however, and barrelled straight on. "Neeeext!"
Kwazii passed the paper to Tweak, who immediately passed it back to him. This went on for a good few seconds before Izzy gave a whistle and Tweak sighed, finding herself holding the paper. Fangirl powers, though.
'Hm........ Professor Inkling..... Questions..... I think I got it.
Do you ever get annoyed at the fact that you're a dumbo octopus, and one of the smartest members in your crew? Not to mention your brilliant nephew. Just, the irony..'
"It is only a species name, so no, I have never got annoyed at the fact," Inkling said reasonably. "But I have considered it, and I do appreciate the irony there. And also yes, my nephew Squirt is fairly brilliant, as indeed am I. Next."
Tweak had been speed-scanning ahead. "Actually, this person has sent a few questions to the rest of us as well as Inkling here. Is that okay?"
The room shook its head insistently, Kwazii especially vehemently. Inkling shrugged. "It gives me a break. Feel free to read on, Tweak."
"I will allow it!" Izzy announced formally, giving a melodramatic wave of her hand in the air.
There was a collective groan, much of which Tweak suspected came from the enthusiastically participating walls, which shut up when she glared at the nearest one.
'ALSO, (mostly because I didn't find this series until after half of it was out...), I've been wondering. Captain Barnacles, you remember that russian polar bear, right? (For fan purposes, i've named her Sonia) Would you ever date her? I mean, she really seems to be one of very few acknowledge your polar bear stregth. She's also very fascinated with your natural heroism. Sorry, getting carried away- again. My nickname is Gabby after all. Which means talkative in the dictionary.'
If the Octonauts hadn't known better, they could have sworn that their calm, impenetrable captain was blushing ever so slightly. "Sonia and I are good friends," Barnacles informed them. "Ever since the ice incident I have made sure to stay in better touch with many of my relatives, Sonia being one of them. We get on well, and it is nice to occasionally see her when we reach the icy plains of Russia every once in a while."
"Plus she thinks you is strong and masculine," Izzy noted in a truly awful imitation of a Russian accent.
"That's why they get on so well," winked Tweak teasingly. "'Cap loves a compliment. And she's very pretty to boot."
Barnacles frowned forbiddingly at her. "You're not helping."
Tweak switched her attention back to Inkling to read out the next question, grinning knowingly, as did her new best friend the wall without actually having a mouth or emotions.
'OKAY INKLING! In your library, in that glass case-desk thing, there is a picture frame containng a photo of a grump fish that y'all helped in the book series. THE BOOK SERIES! HOW DID YOU GUYS CROSS DIMENTIONAL BOUNDARIES IN SUCH A WAY THAT CAN'T BE EXPLAINED THROUGH FAN-POWER SINCE YOU CAN'T BE YOUR OWN FANS---- UNLESS! OH MY GAWD!!!!!! ARE EACH OF YOU FANS OF EACHOTHER?!?!? THAT WOULD TOTALLY EXPLAIN WHY YOU ARE ALL PERSONIFIED MORE THAN THE OTHER CREATURES IN THE SHOW! YOU ALL HAVE FAN POWERS!!!!! *spontaniously combusts into a fiery explosion, only to reverse the process by using the thrist from the explosion to rotate the earth faster than the speed of light, to travel through time into the future, when the flames have died out. (Somehow surviving the meso-sphere both times.)*
Also, Thanks for clearing up the shellington and peso stoof. Really helped my stoof.'
"I honestly have no idea what the question was there," said Inkling apologetically. "But the whole surviving the atmospheric explosion metaphor was well described. I hasten to be impressed."
Dashi wisely took over. "I don't know what you mean by book series -" she started, with a prompting glance at Izzy in vague hope of an explanation, which looked unlikely to come. "But I think I can conclude that we all are utter fans of each other, since we have the bonus of being the best of friends and also being kinda jealous of all the amazing skills we all individually have that no-one else has on the crew. Like, I am a complete fan of the Vegimals due to their incredible cooking abilities, their cheerfulness and not to mention their singing abilities at Christmas. That being just one example, of which I could list many. However, I doubt we're as big of fans of each other as you are of us, since I can't seem to walk through walls and create alternate fan universes."
Izzy appeared to high-five herself, which just basically looked like an overcomplicated clap. "Fan skills."
"The things I could do if I could harness ULTIMATE FAN POWERS," mused Tweak wistfully, not for the first time this series.
'OOH! Kwazii, just to further your education on spiders, (to benifit the future), did you know that there's brazilian spiders, comonly known as banana-spiders, that hide in bananas and are sometimes shipped to grocery stores where they bite and kill people? Also, there are grape-hiding spiders. The lesson is, wash your fruit.'
Kwazii gulped. "I will make sure to wash my fruit."
Tunip 'ohhhed' quietly from the beanbag and appeared to scribble down a note, which luckily a furtive-looking Kwazii didn't catch.
'OH MY GAWD PESO I FORGOT!!! Did you know that there actually is a type of penguin that lives in Africa? Yup, you can look it up too. YOU HAVE FAMILY IN PLACES OTHER THAN ANTARCTICA!!! EEK!'
"Oh yeah, I know!" Peso agreed. "All penguins live in the Southern hemisphere naturally, but it's only some of the most well-known species like the Emperor and the Chinstrap that live in Antarctica. Most types live on various small islands and some live in Africa, Australia and South America as well! We get around, don't we?"
'Dashi, are you really a scientist???? I've always wondered.... Oh, and your name, book and show, is a pun on eachother. Dashi is a type of food, and some of the books dubbed you, 'Sauci'. So... yeah.'
"I'm not officially a scientist like Shellington," Dashi admitted, nudging the sea otter fondly in the shoulder as she referred to her friend. "But I do help him out in the lab sometimes, and I do consider myself a scientist since I go on deep-sea scientific missions with Shel and all sorts. And - gotta love the puns."
'Shellington, who is Peri's father?!?!?!? Also, is your sister and her child the only otters in that kelp forest? Dumb question, I know.. But still.'
"I actually have no idea who Pearl had Peri with," confessed Shellington somewhat sheepishly. "It never seemed like a good time to ask."
"Scandalous..." murmured Izzy teasingly.
"But no, they aren't alone in the kelp forest, since sea otters are very social creatures" he continued. "They just each have a section of it to care for and carry out their urchin duties for, so the whole kelp forest stays healthy. She still lives under a mile from our parents' place, and a few minutes swim east from my cousins."
"That's a lot of family," agreed Dashi.
Oh my gosh, sorry just realized how long this was... *Draws comic of head canons, while firing self out of canon.* I LOOOVE PUUUUuuuuuuuns....!'
- GabrielleWarren
"Puns are good," agreed Adele with a definitive nod. "Right, my turn to read! Back to you, Inkling, I'm afraid. It's a question from AdrianImpalaMata!"
'Okay, now I'm wishing I could come back and sit with Shelly and Dashi... :')
As far as I'm concerned about the Octonauts, Professor, how did you help form the team into what it is today? Why the name "Octonauts"? And where do you get all of the funding to build these amazing GUPs and whatnot? (Parents have been asking that on Twitter a LOT.)
Also - Izzy, I hope it's okay with you if I ask Shellington about my OC Sachairi. I positioned Sach as his brother and I'm writing a story featuring him with the rest of Shelly's family. Just wanna get his opinion on him, y'know?'
- AdrianImpalaMata
The Professor considered his response for a moment. "I think it was important to always keep our main principles as the forefront of all our missions - to help creatures first and scientific inquiry second. We use and learn from our experiences to help others, and we're now venturing into new places and discovering new things because of it. That really helped form the crew and after the first couple of years it has become something even more magical than I ever initially predicted."
Barnacles smiled at Inkling. "I think we've all grown together as a crew over the eight years we've been together, and that makes me very happy to see."
"I chose the name Octonauts because I always had a planned crew of eight, I am an octopus and I wasn't very original with names in earlier years, and I liked the idea of it sort of sounding like 'astronauts' except we were venturing a different way, into the depths of the Earth's oceans rather than out into space," Inkling remembered. "And our funding comes from various sources, initially from my own funds when I first started up the crew, but now from scientific charities and foundations for ocean protection. We don't get paid per say, but we get the funding to build new Gups and get basic supplies for the crew. Tweak tends to organise most of that sort of thing since she buys the parts and equipment she needs for Gups, though I do look over the background costs now and then. It helps that we're more well known now, companies sponsor us to do what we do best."
"Sounds ideal," said Izzy wistfully. "I wonder if anyone would ever sponsor me to write. Suppose I'd have to get a published book out first, I guess."
Adele gestured to Shellington. "And to your question, Shel?"
"Oh, Sachairi and I are great friends as well as hypothetical brothers," Shellington commented. "It helps that he still lives with our parents so we're all still really close, and he's super supportive (not to mention kind of jealous) of my adventures around the world."
"What do you think of Sachairi in general?" Izzy prompted.
"He's very dedicated and talented at what he does in music and in science, and he's always willing to help others out," Shellington reflected fondly. "He's still really close to most of his childhood friends and our extended family, and he's hilarious most of the time. I couldn't wish for a better brother, honestly."
"Okay, thank you very much for your questions for Inkling and Shellington, Adrian," Izzy grinned. "Next question from Yamel2016."
Peso managed to commandeer the paper and started to read tentatively, lest fans leap out from a corner and ambush him again just at the sound of his adorable voice.
'I'm glad all is going well, and Dashi and Shellington are happy together at least, just don't get carried away again. Professor Inkling, have you ever had to stop the team from fighting with each other? P.s. Kwazii, can you be more careful with your cockiness? You remind me of a certain speedy blue hedgehog ( only difference is he hates water) both of you might get into trouble if it weren't for yours and his friends. I have one other question. Professor Inkling, what do you like to do with the crew when you're not reading? Okay bye.'
- Yamel2016
Izzy smiled reassuringly, though that same familiar fangirl look still glinted in her eye. "I will make sure not to get too excited again," she promised, though she was currently on a brief lapse between sugar rushes so the period of calm doubtlessly wouldn't last.
"I have never been forced to stop any large fights between the crew, although I definitely could due to my large quantity of tentacles to hold people back," Inkling mused. "Some crew members do argue occasionally, but it is rarely serious enough to warrant my intervention."
"Though he does play a mean table tennis match if provoked," pointed out Kwazii with a grin.
Inkling returned his smile. "Why, yes."
"Can you be more careful with your cockiness, Kwazii?" Izzy inquired.
Kwazii looked faintly hurt. "I don't think I'm all that cocky all the time," he argued. "Maybe sometimes I do get a bit excited, but..." He faltered at Izzy's knowing frown. "I will try to tone it down," he ended with weakly.
"Good."
"And some things I enjoy doing with the crew when I'm not reading: well, they're a wonderful group of people so I enjoy doing many leisure time activities with them. I play table tennis quite frequently, I often share stories with the whole crew, I enjoy helping the Vegimals out in the kitchen every once in a while. I'll even do some gardening if no-one beats me to the carrot patch."
Tweak shrugged sheepishly. "I like carrots. What can I say?"
"Thank you for those questions, Yamel2016. Right! Here's my fabled question next," announced Izzy. At Inkling's audible sigh, she grinned. "Don't look so gloomy, OctoProf. Not long to go now."
Inkling brightened slightly at this, and listened more willingly as Izzy began to read.
'Hi, Professor! Love you (especially your monocle :D) Anyway, I have a question that hopefully won't have already been asked. Have you ever had a significant other in your life? Also, how often do you get to visit your family and do they mind you staying away for so long at a time, since we've seen a lot more of everyone else's family? Thanks for answering and stay amazing.
(Ps. I highly recommend you learn how to speak in emoticons - it's great fun! :D ;) XD)
- isobeljones2000
"I am not going to learn to speak in -" Inkling shuddered even at the mention of them. "Emoticons," he finished eventually. "But I am glad you like my monocle."
Izzy gave a look of sad resignation. "I guessed as much. Ah well."
"And I have actually not had a long-term significant other, as you put it," Inkling said surprisingly. "I dated back in university a long time ago, but none of them really worked out. It was all very amicable, but I eventually decided that if I was a university professor and then later a travelling explorer, relationships wouldn't really work out."
"Aww," Dashi commented sadly.
"Don't be sorry for me," Inkling told her with what at least appeared like a genuine smile. "I don't regret it at all. Therefore, unlike your tentative talk on relationships which are still current or pending for some, I can talk about it with no trace of embarrassment."
Tweak and Kwazii gave each other a furtive glance at the 'pending' comment, then quickly looked away awkwardly.
"And, like many of my crew, I don't get to visit my family very often. Both my parents have passed away by now, of course, and I do get to see my sister sometimes, although she is very busy and lives halfway across the ocean with little Squirt. Honestly, it's only him I stay in regular touch with, and we do miss each other's intelligent conversation when we're apart. Ideally, I would like to visit him more often and maybe see my sister as well, but Squirt is always really excited when I have many stories to tell him on my visits, so I don't believe he minds me staying away for long periods of time."
"Squirt's so adorable," fangirled Izzy with a little squee.
"What does that say about our intelligent conversation?" Kwazii wanted to know, catching up with the comment and looking slightly affronted.
"Moving on!" Izzy announced. "Thank you very much, Inkers, that sorts some questions up for me. Right, who hasn't read out a question this chapter? Everyone?"
Everyone apparently had.
"Dashi, I know you're always bursting to read again, so you can," offered Izzy. Dashi took the paper with a happy smile and a triumphant look at Kwazii.
'Hi! So, Professor Inkling have you ever read Harry Potter? If you have, then which house do you think you and the rest would be sorted in? Also, what's your favourite dessert?'
- SniveBlaze
"I do a lot of reading, so yes, I have read Harry Potter a few years ago now. I enjoyed it very much, actually, we were in the Midnight Zone at the time so it was very atmospheric," remembered Inkling.
"Is the Professor telling a story about reading a story?" Tweak wanted to know.
Inkling smiled unapologetically; he was well known for his storytelling skills on the Octopod. "I am just setting the scene. Anyway, as for houses..."
"Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin," Izzy reminded him helpfully.
"Ah, yes. Thank you, Izzy. I believe I would be in Ravenclaw due to the studious nature of the house and the focus upon academics, which is of course a principle I hold close to my heart."
Around the room, his crew nodded in agreement with this sorting choice.
"As for the rest of my crew..." Inkling pondered for a moment in silence before replying. "Barnacles is definitely a Gryffindor, his bravery proves that. Kwazii in Slytherin, definitely -"
"Hey!" Kwazii argued immediately.
Inkling gave a little grin somewhat akin to Izzy's own as the fangirl cackled at this appraisal. "Just joking, Kwazii. You're a Gryffindor really. I do not really think you're evil, just misguided. Not to say Slytherin isn't a very respectable house."
"It breeds baby Voldemorts," muttered the cat darkly.
"Peso is a Hufflepuff, I would say," continued Inkling. "A house that favours dedication, patience and hard work, all of which our medic has in abundance. Not to mention he's always willing to help."
Peso nodded in approval. "I can live with being a Hufflepuff."
"Dashi would be a Hufflepuff as well, although she also shares many attributes of a Gryffindor and a Ravenclaw. Shellington definitely is a Ravenclaw, as would be Tweak. They're both incredibly intelligent, witty individuals, so it's very apt."
Shellington and Tweak high-fived each other in triumph.
"Inkling is now the sorting hat," announced Dashi with a wink at the Professor.
"And what about me?" Izzy inquired happily. "What house am I in?"
Adele's hopeful smile widened. "And me?" she asked, a big fan of Harry Potter herself.
"Izzy: Ravenclaw, I believe. And Adele: Ravenclaw as well. You're both that sort of person, despite being excitable and quite possibly mad as a hatter."
The sisters grinned identically. "That's us," grinned Adele like the Cheshire Cat.
"We're with you, Tweak and Shellington!" Izzy winked. "Yay! Anyway, this brings us to the last question!"
"Oh, thank goodness for that," exhaled Inkling in one relieved breath.
Tweak frowned at him. "Yours was easy compared to some of ours! Your questions were really nice!"
"Very true," agreed Inkling. "But that does not mean I won't be glad to finish."
Izzy directed the question paper towards an eager Kwazii, who read it out loud and proud.
'Octonauts I am a big fan, I am 7 years old.. too old for you guys but OH WELL.
Dashi your my favourite. I like you and Shellington.
WAIT I should be taking about inkling.
Professor Inkling, do you have a wattpad account, you should you're soo good at writing.
What's your username on wattpad if you do?
And do you know what it is like on dry land ?'
- Alyssa_iz_Bae
Dashi and Shellington smiled in unison at the second comment. "Aww," Dashi noted. "Thanks. I like you too."
Izzy was still hung up on the first comment. "Sixteen and proud," she grinned unabashedly. "Definitely too old for you guys, but they do say fans come in all shapes and sizes."
"I do not actually have a Wattpad account, although Izzy has already attempted to recruit me to her cause," Inkling replied. "But since I have been informed that I am or have the potential to be a good writer, maybe I will consider it. EightLeggedGenius seems like a good username, although it was Kwazii's suggestion."
"Do it!" Izzy grinned. "Wattpad is excellent!"
"And I do know what it's like on dry land, due to the fact I can somehow breathe very well out of water unlike many of my compadres," the Professor answered to the final question. "I went to university on dry land, and spent many years teaching up there. Not to mention travelling the world at various points to seek out the members of the Octonauts eight years ago, so yes, I am perfectly accustomed to being on dry land."
"And... that's you all done and questioned!" announced Izzy with a flourish of paper, throwing the stack of question sheets excitedly into the air and allowing them to flutter down around her, snowflake-like. "See, that wasn't all that bad, was it, Professor? I didn't even make you pronounce any emoticons."
Inkling smiled in relief, settling back into the sapphire blue sofa. "That - was better than expected."
":D," Izzy replied simply.
The Professor shuddered and curled six tentacles underneath his body as the new smiley made its bobbing way into existence rather too near him for his liking. "But that does not mean I want to be a victim of their attack," he pointed out sternly. "I do not trust your visible emotions any more than I trust your inside ones."
"No matter," Adele replied. "Time for the final member of the crew to be questioned. Or should I say members?"
Tunip gave a worried chirrup and Codish fainted next to him, while the group of six of seven other Vegimals around him responded with chattering replies that could have meant anything. Shellington gave a helpless shrug when Izzy prompted him to try and translate. "I'm going to be doing a lot of Vegimalese translating next session, aren't I?" he asked tiredly.
Izzy smiled and got out the next briefcase full of papers, laying it on a nearby beanbag. "'Fraid so."
Shellington sighed. "I thought as much."
A/N) Just over 7000 words, all done for Inkling! Please send in any questions you have for the Vegimals next, please - and also have a great Christmas! Bye for now ;)