The Heroes of Aeseganora: Part 1 - The Oca-Tree

The Return Of The Magic / A Bid Farewell

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Please see the end of the chapter for notes.

The crew and Ollum were transported back to the Oca-Tree as soon as Inkling's Gate was squeezed, and with that, they went straight to work: one by one, the Octonauts placed the treasures in their respective slots, connecting the tree together.

They all stepped backwards, waiting for something to happen, and within a minute, the Oca-Tree began to glow, revealing an octagram pattern on the ground, with the Tree in its centre.

As they looked at the octagram in greater detail, they realised that each end of it had a symbol embedded onto it - the same ones that were on the stalagmites when they entered the world.

Ollum motioned for the crew to stand around the Tree.

"Just join your hands together, get on one knee, and bow your heads." he instructed them.

The crew did just that, and the Oca-Tree began to glow even brighter as it mechanically rose up from the centre of the octagram and into an opening which appeared from above.

"What's happening to the Tree now?" Peso asked, looking up at Ollum.

"It's growing," Ollum replied, a hint of a hopeful smirk on his face. "Soon, it will connect with the stalagmites."

And he was right.

The Tree slowly rose up into the centre of the stalagmites, all eight of which had started glowing as well.

Almost immediately, the Tree absorbed the glows of the stalagmites, regaining its full strength and power as leaves and flowers grew from its once bare branches.

Something else began to emerge - something unexpected.

The spirit of a polar bear - Vadel Polarshadow, who was wearing a white and dark blue robe with grey cuffs, slowly rose from the stalagmite with a steering wheel symbol onto it, before being joined by his companions - which consisted of Eduardo Goldtiger, Juanico Frostglow, Cillian Pinecrestach, Alice Daisythorn, Shirley Swamprider, and finally, Inkling's late father, Hopkin Seamountstar.

The old Heroes smiled at each other as they looked to the eighth stalagmite - the one with a kelp cake symbol onto it - and saw the eighth spirit - a Vegimal-like creature whose stalk was finer and more delicate than Tunip's.

The Heroes joined hands and lifted their arms into the air, making the Rainbow Mist disappear and the opening which the Tree grew through expand.

They looked down at the Octonauts and Ollum - who were all amazed at the sights, and gave grateful smiles and nodded at them, as if to say Thank you for setting us free.

And with that, they headed off into the Aeseganoran horizons.

The Spirits had been reborn, and the Oca-Tree had finally been restored.

****************

"Inkling?" a voice called out.

And before long, its owner appeared.

When the Octonauts had pictured Ainsley in their minds, they saw a Dumbo octopus who looked just the same as Inkling, just slightly less masculine. They all knew that it was a ridiculous way to imagine anyone, but it didn't seem like too far a stretch of the imagination, given how they were twins.

But the Dumbo octopus who had called Inkling's name, and who was standing, staring at them now, looked like a feminine combination of Inking and his nephew Squirt.

They were about the same height as their twin brother, wearing round glasses, and without the bow tie.

"Ainsley?" Inkling gasped.