The Octonauts and the Pirate Ship Predicament (complete)

Chapter Thirteen

It ended pretty much how it had all started. The Octonaut crew watched through the Octo-Scope as the ship sailed away from them. Its body was painted a deep red-brown colour. The sail was crisp and new, proudly waving in the wind. And the red flag on top displayed both the classic skull and cross-bones logo, alongside the Octonauts logo.

"Good work, Tweak," congratulated Captain Barnacles. The engineer was standing in the middle of the HQ, looking at her creation proudly. She had taught Nut some designing skills and had shown him how to properly engineer if any parts of the ship broke down. He had hugged her again before they had left for the final time, and she actually found herself missing the shy mechanic.

Tweak turned to the captain with a smile. "Thanks Cap. It was a challenge, but I enjoy a challenge."

"A whole pirate ship!" Shellington said, with raised eyebrows. "That's what I call a challenge and a half."

"Now we can move on to our own new adventures," Barnacles said. They had been grounded on this part of the sea floor for over two weeks now, and they were all eager to set off again. "Octonauts, prepare for launch."

"On it, Captain," Dashi said, moving to the monitor.

"Pity Annabel wasn't what she seemed," Shellington said softly to Dashi, who was looking slightly wistful as they watched the pirate ship sail proudly away. "You two seemed to get on well."

To his surprise, Dashi was smiling when she turned her face to his. "We may have not been exactly the same like she pretended we were, but we could still be friends. This last couple of weeks, while the engineers have been working on the new ship, we've found things that we enjoy together. I taught her a bit of photography, which is my thing, and she taught me a few pirate skills, which is her sort of thing. I'll actually miss her."

"Even though she threatened to drown you?" Shellington asked gently.

"Even though she threatened to drown me," Dashi chuckled. "It's a talking point, anyway."

"Plus I'll have plenty more stories to tell about the infamous Hector," Kwazii grinned next to Dashi, having apparently been listening in to their conversation.

"True that," Tweak agreed over Shellington's shoulder.

Dashi looked slightly exasperated. "Has everyone been listening in to our conversation?"

"Yeah," Peso agreed from halfway across the room, evidently having heard this last part. Everyone laughed.

As the Octonauts milled around the HQ, chatting and laughing in small groups while waiting for departure, Tweak sidled up to Kwazii. "Will you miss the chance of being on Hector's crew?"

"Why should I?" Kwazii questioned. "The only crew I ever want to be on is this one."

Tweak shared his smile. "Me too."

"Hot chocolate?" Kwazii offered, having just been handed two steaming cups by an obliging Vegimal.

Tweak looked around the HQ, feeling a rush of love for her crew, her family. When she looked back at Kwazii, she saw that same feeling reciprocated in his green eyes. "Why not?" she smiled, and settled down to wait for their next launch.

Joining the pirates would have never been like joining a family, like the Octonauts. She was home.

A/N) And that's this story over! Thank you to anyone who read, commented or voted for this story, I hope you enjoyed it! My new story will be up as soon as I can post it!