Beach Party Bravery
The sky was clear as the sun worked its way over Quack Quack’s Learning Farm. As the temperature was predicted to go above eighty degrees that day the staff thought it would be good to have the children play outside early on before it got too hot.
Yosh let out a big yawn and a stretch as he grouped himself beside his other hatchling friends.
“I always feel so sleepy when Mr. Golden Sun is like this,” the dino duckling said.
“Me, too,” yawned Tacki, who was a red dragon. “Mom says our scales like the heat and that is what makes us sleepy.”
“Nixi got me a beanbag that looks like a treasure hoard so I can take naps outside,” added an ebon dragon named Leon. “I just curl up with my treasure and let Mr. Golden Sun warm me like a blanket.”
All three hatchlings were starting a chorus of yawns until a familiar voice cried out to them.
“Wake up, sleepy heads!” the squirrel clad in training pants and blue shirt shouted. “It’s not naptime yet!”
“Hey, Zee-Zee!” greeted Tacki as he toddled about to wake up. He, like the other hatchlings, wore only a disposable diaper and was beginning to feel it get a bit bunchy from all the warmth being kept within as a result of all the heat from the day. “What’s up?”
The red squirrel held out a trio of sticker covered cards.
“My birthday is coming up!” he proclaimed. “I’m going to be a big three years old!”
Tacki scanned the letter. Of the three hatchlings he was the one who could read the most.
“You…,” he strained. “in… Zee-Zee party… beach?”
The red dragon, who had shiny silver hair on his head and at the tip of his tail, slumped upon reading the last word he could make out.
“Wow!” clapped Zee-Zee as Kaffre Kitten ran up alongside him with a ball in his paws. “You are getting super smart to read like that!”
Tacki shrugged. His mind was still fixated on that last word. He knew what a beach was and that it wasn’t a place he wanted to go to. He had successfully gone with Yosh and Toroth a few weeks back. However, he did not have to go in the water. His tactical mind knew how to keep his friends from asking why he didn’t want to go into the water either. With more cubs and hatchlings present, in particular Zee-Zee, he knew it would be impossible to avoid being drawn back into the scary water that concealed the monster that had given him every reason to keep bathtime and swimming pools as his exclusive source of liquid recreation.
“Gabby-Gabby-Gaboo!” quacked Yosh as a flurry of crinkles could be heard as he leapt and briefly hovered in the sky through enthusiasm powering his chubby arms and legs. “I can’t wait!”
“Will there be water wings?” asked Leon prior to sticking his thumb into his mouth. “I’m still learning to swim in the kiddy pool.”
Zee-Zee beamed.
“Just like the potty,” he stated proudly while making sure everyone saw his training pants were present and dry. “I will teach you to swim safely with water wings.”
“What about me?” pouted Yosh. “I’ve been swimming good for a long time.”
“That’s because you are a duck,” stated the proud squirrel as he adjusted his glasses. “Ducks float and learn to swim really quick.”
Hearing the clever squirrel’s statement made Tacki think.
“If Yosh is not afraid of the water,” he said under his breath. “Maybe he can tell me how he avoids monsters at the beach?”
“You want to play?” Kaffre asked while holding the ball out to the hatchlings. “Zee-Zee, Ozzie, Tavi, and a few other cubs are going to kick the ball around the sprinkler.”
“Sounds like fun!” cried Yosh as he scampered in place. “I love water and water loves me!”
“Count me in,” added Leon.
“Sure,” Tacki replied simply as he was still trying to think of how to succeed in attending the party without having another run in with the sea creature that had chased him from the water over a year ago.
“Yay!” Zee-Zee and Kaffre exclaimed. “Let’s go!”
CHAPTER 2
Ms. Toots and Mr. Peck worked almost like an assembly line as they changed the soaked diapers and training pants of the children who were entering back into the daycare facility. However, nothing felt better than a clean shirt, shorts, and fresh diaper after some water fun for the cubs and hatchlings.
“That was fun!” chirped Yosh as he fluffed his vest. He was seldom seen without it and most thought it was due to it having pockets to hide things in.
“I suppose,” blushed Leon who now wore a onesie that had a robotic golem upon it. “That bucket of water Tavi and Ozzie were splashing around made my diaper go flop.”
Yosh and Tacki giggled.
“That was funny,” remarked Yosh.
“Maybe Nixi needs to get you better diapers?” suggested Tacki. “My parents always go down the hatchling aisle and carefully study everything to ensure I’m ever ready for anything!”
“Mine just know I like ducks!” chirped Yosh as he dropped his blue shorts enough to share the cartoon ducks adorning his diaper.
Seeing the designs on Yosh’s diaper gave Leon an idea.
“Hey!” he cried. “Maybe we can check out that picture book with all the sea creatures in it!”
“Ooh!” cooed Yosh while pulling up his shorts. “See all the things we’ll see at the beach with Zee-Zee and friends!”
Leon went off to get the book and flopped it down upon the padded floor.
“Ooh!” quacked Yosh as he flapped his arms about merrily. “I hope we see a seahorse! I love seahorses! They are like ponies from Pony Magic…”
As Yosh quacked on-and-on Tacki noticed a picture of his nemesis from the year before appear as Leon flipped the pages.
“Crib…,” attempted Leon. “Looks weird.”
Tacki counted himself fortunate with Yosh lost in his own quacking and Leon flipping through the picture book of sea creatures so quickly. He didn’t even realize he was staring straight down at the floor with his tail now in his hands being used as a fidget toy.
“Don’t go so fast,” pouted Yosh as Leon finished going through the book. “I wanted to see the pearl oyster and starfish.”
“I’m bored,” stated the ebon dragon. “You can read the book while I get a robot to play with.”
Yosh went for the book but did notice a zoned out Tacki as he did.
“You okay, Tacki?” he asked. “Did you potty in your pants?”
Tacki gasped as he was brought out of his thoughts.
“No!” he blushed. “A good soldier knows where to retreat if his diaper becomes messed.”
Yosh blinked with confusion before opening the book right to the page with the crab on it.
“Eep!” squeaked Tacki.
Yosh failed to notice his friend stumble back and nearly go for his tail again as a soother.
“That’s a crab,” the dino duckling said. “Mom and dad said if you leave them alone they’ll leave you alone.”
Tacki noticed that Yosh wasn’t afraid of the monster that had chased him from the waters.
“You’ve seen one before?” he asked curiously.
Yosh nodded.
“Yep, yep, yep!” he quacked. “They look really silly as they walk.”
Tacki wondered how it could be funny at all being chased after by a little monster like that.
“Yosh,” he said. “Your parents are super smart as Zee-Zee with water animals. Do you think you could be my guide to the water at the party?”
“Guide?” asked Yosh.
Tacki felt his confidence rising.
“You’d be my scout!” he proclaimed. “It would be a fun game where we are sea explorers who must find magical seashells while avoiding the evil crabs!”
“Hey!” called Leon. “I want to play, too!”
Tacki puffed out his chest.
“You want to also scout for Captain Tacki?” he asked. “Then welcome aboard, sailor!”
“You always come up with great games,” remarked Yosh while giving his red colored friend a hug. “I can’t wait to play at the beach with you and all our friends!”
Tacki returned the hug to Yosh. However, a part of him still had butterflies over putting himself in range to be attacked again by the ferocious sea monster. He also did not want any of his friends to know that their bravest of the brave leader was scared of something they were not.
CHAPTER 3:
Tacki stared anxiously towards the vast ocean before him. The only thing separating him from his scuttling sea nemesis was the boardwalk and about fifty yards of sand.
“Be brave,” he said to himself while letting go of his mother’s hand. “Sea captains don’t fear the ocean.”
“Hey, Amy! Hi, Tacki!” greeted the birthday boy’s mom, Zena. “I’m sure Tacki can’t wait to play with all his friends!”
“Oh, more than you’ll ever know,” Tacki’s mom, who was green in color and had a shimmering trail of purple hair that blew elegantly with the ocean breeze, chuckled. “this little guy has been wearing nothing but his sailor suit at home, at daycare, and while visiting his friends. He says it is to be ready to defend the party from a sea monster.”
Zena laughed.
“How adorable!” she cooed. “Though the only thing that will need saved are the snacks from our husbands.”
Tacki’s mom noticed her husband chatting it up with Zed, Lewin, Duckers, and other proud fathers who had huddled themselves around the snack table.
“Well, best escort…,” she said while noticing her son had already dashed his way towards a grouping of children. “It truly is amazing how quickly they can run off like that.”
“At least we have our loving husbands to keep a look out,” shrugged Zena. “Or at least the life guard.”
***
“Hey, Tacki!” called Tavi. “Want to help Ozzie, Lanny, Gem, and I build the absolute best sandcastle?”
Tacki grew a wide smile across his face before plunking his swim diaper clad bottom in front of the growing mound that was to be the greatest sandcastle ever built.
“I make moat!” cried Gem while she dug her tiny squirrel paws into the sand. “Grub help, too!”
“I see that,” beamed Tacki upon seeing Gem hold up her plush caterpillar.
“Tacki!” cried Leon. “Ready to collect magic seashells in the water with us?”
Tacki turned to see Yosh and Leon standing eagerly in their swim diapers with plastic buckets in their hands.
“Grabbed you an extra!” quacked Yosh while handing a bucket to his red hatchling friend.
Tacki gulped as he noticed the waves gliding in and out from the nearby shore. He had been preparing for this all week but it was so much easier to not worry about the sea beast and help the cubs with their sandcastle.
“Umm,” worried Tacki.
“Woo-hoo!” an orange Yoshi in a red swimsuit shouted as he dashed for the water with a kickboard. “Time to ride the waves!”
Tacki’s eyes narrowed upon noticing their older friend, Nishi, fearlessly charge towards the ocean. He knew what he had to do.
“Hey, Tavi, Ozzie, Gem,” he said while taking to his feet. “I promised Yosh and Leon we’d go searching for magic seashells. I’ll be back. Promise.”
“Ooh…,” awed Gem. “Put shells on castle?”
“Yeah!” exclaimed Ozzie. “Some magic seashells would look great on the best sandcastle ever!”
“And I know how to put them in just the right places!” added Tavi.
“Okay, Captain!” saluted Yosh. “Let’s go find some magic seashells!”
***
Tacki’s silver hair blew gracefully in the wind as he took in a deep breath of determination.
“Okay, crew!” he cried. “Yosh to my left! Leon to my right! If you notice anything scary that isn’t a seashell report immediately!”
“Aye, aye!” cheered Leon and Yosh who took absolutely no notice that their fearless leader had said the word ‘scary’.
***
Yosh, Tacki, and Leon were up to their swim diapers in the water gathering shells of all shapes and sizes.
“Good job, men!” boomed Tacki. “These will certainly fortify the castle!”
Yosh, feeling how his swim diaper wasn’t allowing his midsection to feel as cool and wet as the rest of himself, started to fidget at the tabs.
“What’s wrong, Yosh?” asked Leon.
“Feels funny,” the dino duckling moaned. “Don’t like these.”
“What’s this all about?” inquired Tacki.
“Yosh wants to take off his swim diaper,” shrugged Leon. “But we need them to not make a mess in the water.”
Tacki walked alongside the dino duckling.
“Belay removing your armor, scout!” he commanded.
“Armor?” wondered Yosh as he stopped picking at the water-resistant garment that was being lapped upon by the waves.
“Yes!” persisted Tacki. “A good seaman never dares remove his water protection while away from shore!”
“Hey!” greeted Zee-Zee. He was approaching with a kickboard while clad in a pair of swim goggles along with a pair of swim trunks that hid his swim diaper from view.
“Happy birthday!” Yosh, Leon, and Tacki all said in near unison.
“Thanks for coming!” the birthday squirrel cheered. “Having fun?”
Tacki suddenly felt something scurry across his leg.
“Ack!” he shrieked while stumbling away from the ticklish feeling that had startled him.
“Ooh!” awed Leon while reaching into the water and picking up a circular shaped creature with tiny feet and small pinchers for arms. “I think this is a crib.”
Tacki’s blue eyes widened as Leon held the monster before the group as if it were a toy. He then felt warmth begin to gather as fear gave way to bladder release into his swim diaper.
“No, no,” stated Zee-Zee. “That’s a crab. It’s a friendly sea creature.”
“Friendly…?” thought Tacki with disbelief. “There was nothing friendly about it when it chased me mercilessly out of the water when last we met.”
Leon chuckled while pretending the crab was some sort of flying saucer.
“Roar!” he growled playfully. “I am the intergalactic crab monster here to destroy you!”
Zee-Zee noticed the crab was getting upset being treated like a toy.
“Best put it down,” the clever squirrel stated. “They can get pretty angry if you bother them.”
Leon nearly avoided a claw snip as he took in this information.
“Yipes!” he cried before tossing it away.
Zee-Zee shook his head.
“You could’ve done that more gently,” he said while shaking his head.
“But it was an intergalactic crab monster!” the ebon dragon insisted.
Tacki was on high alert for the crab to come charging back to get revenge on all of them for what Leon did. However, it never did. When he did think he saw it, the crab appeared to be growing further and further away.
“Nishi?” Yosh quacked nervously as the orange Yoshi swam towards the group.
“Ah,” the orange Yoshi sighed with a smile.
“Hey!” quacked Yosh. “The water is starting to feel warmer.
Zee-Zee glared at Nishi.
“You didn’t,” he said.
Nishi beamed.
“Sure did!” he proudly proclaimed. “The ocean is nature’s potty.”
“Eww!” Tacki, Leon, Zee-Zee, and Yosh cried as they ran for the shore.
“What?” shrugged Nishi. “You do it, too!”
***
Upon reaching the shore the group was greeted by Kaffre Kitten who invited them back to the ever-growing sandcastle.
“You bring shells?” asked Gem.
“Sure did!” announced Tacki. “We shall make this the most strongest castle in all the land!”
Yosh, still feeling grossed out from Nishi peeing in the water, dropped his bucket.
“I need to talk with my mommy and daddy,” he said as he pulled again at the swim diaper. “If Nishi doesn’t need one for the water I don’t want to wear one either.”
Leon shrugged before plopping down in front of the castle.
“Can we build a hanger for defense robots?” he asked.
“We can build anything!” cheered Tavi. “Everyone will remember us for our amazing castle!”
***
As Tacki played with his friends he started to think on how his pals had really made that horrifying sea monster seem far less scary. He still didn’t want to go near one but did know having his pals around definitely made the ocean a more inviting place. Especially if everyone remembered to wear their protection unlike their so called potty trained pal, Nishi.
