It was a quiet, peaceful Saturday morning. Everyone was doing their own little thing without a worry in sight. Skipper sat down at the small table with a contented sigh.

"What a perfect morning, eh boys? Not a lemur in sight." Private, Kowalski, and Rico all smiled in agreement. "You know, I was planning on doing recon today, but a day like this only comes around every so often. Why don't we all just take a break?"

"You really mean it Skippah!?"

"Of course Private, no better way to celebrate "King" Julien not being around." He made sure to put air quotes around the "king" part. "We can just sit back, relax, and– "

"Hey guys!"

"Marlene! For the hundredth time, don't sneak up on us like that!" Marlene ignored the comment and ran excitedly over to the middle of the room.

"It's such a perfect day! Are you guys just gonna sit around and do nothing?"

"I don't know about you, but this is how we penguins like to relax."

"Well Skipper, it is a nice day outside. Maybe we could…" started Kowalski.

"Maybe we could what soldier? Spit it out!"

"Uh… well, how about we go check out the dolphin exhibit?" Skipper squinted his eyes and stared at Kowalski until he looked away in shame.

"I don't like going around the dolphins. Brings up too many memories of that blasted Dr. Blowhole."

"You know," Marlene spoke up again, "I've heard a lot about these "Manfreeti, Johnson, and Dr. Blowhole animals… who were they?"

"That's classified information Marlene." His voice was stern, but soft. The others could sense his weakness. Private looked at him with begging eyes, hoping to break him.

"Please Skippah! I would love so much to hear your story." Skipper turned his gaze toward Private and was shocked to see Rico standing next to him with an identical expression.

"Why not Skipper, you've never told us about your past before. You know all about ours and it doesn't seem very fair." Kowalski joined the two and set his face to match theirs. He was about to say no again when Marlene, too, joined them. She stuck out her bottom lip and blinked her eyes as fast as she could at him. How was he supposed to resist four, adorable faces?

"Alright! Alright! I'll tell you. But you might as well get comfortable, this is a loooong story. He watched as his team, and Marlene, scrambled to find good seats. Once they were all spread out in a cemi-circle around him, he began his story.

"It all started when I was just a chick…"