Author's Note: One-shot created by PoMlovah611 and I. hehe.
~Natty.
Connections.
~PoM~
"K'walski! K'walski!" Private shouted, running into the lab.
"Private? What brings you here?" Kowalski replied, putting the chemicals he was working on back on the table and pulling his goggles back up on his head.
"Ou, I didn't mean to disturb you, K'walski." The young one frowned.
Kowalski sighed. "No, you didn't disturb me. It's fine. Now what did you need?"
"Oh right, well, Skippah's on the telly with Dr. Blowhole."
"WHAT!? Good Golly Wolly! SHOW ME." The scientist said firmly.
"Are you sure about that?" Private asked, concerned.
"SHOW ME, PRIVATE!" The lieutenant repeated, grabbing Private's shoulders and shaking him a bit. "What makes you think that I'm not sure!?"
The private grabbed the flippers from his shoulders and pulled back a bit. "Well…they're arguing."
"They're... arguing?" Kowalski blinked. "About what?"
"Yes. They're using angry words and everything! Rico is still in there cheering them on." Private explained, eyes a bit sad and frightened. He'd never seen their leader like that before, so competitive with comebacks.
"Why- why are they arguing?"
"That's the thing. I'm not sure they're actually arguing over anything. Dr. Blowhole just patched through and started insulting him. He made Skippah really angry."
"..." Kowalski stared at him for a while, thinking it over before gently pushing him aside and walking out of the lab.
"K'walski wait!" Private whispered harshly but it was too late as the noise from out in the main room blasted into the lab. He only managed to stop the analyst from going all the way out and showing himself.
"GET OFF MY TV! I PAY CABLE HERE, NOT YOU!" The leader shouted.
"Oh yeah! Heh pay cabuhl!" Rico commented from the sideline, enjoying the ongoing argument.
"I do not believe currency is the factor between us, Skipper." The dolphin replied calmly. "As you very well may know, I tend to shine in that general area."
Skipper scoffed. "You always shine."
"Why, thank you. Moisturizer certainly does the trick."
"Oh really?" the leader mocked. "I always thought it was slime."
"Good joke. You must tell it again the next time we meet." Blowhole said.
"When'll I have the pleasure of?" The leader asked.
"All in due time, but back to our discussion of you and I and myself…"
"You said you twice." Skipper pointed out.
"Well that's because I'm much bigger than you and your whole silly little operation."
"Is that so?" Skipper mused.
"Yes, and I just cannot wait to tell you that again once I finally destroy you next week." Blowhole grinned.
"Destroy? Us? Next week?" Kowalski stammered, voice soft enough so no one in the main room can hear. "What's he talking about?" the analyst glanced at Private.
"What are you screeching on about?" Skipper demanded.
"I do not screech, one. Two, you should probably get your final testament in order because there is no chance you will survi-i-i-i-ive this one, Skipper."
"And who was the GENIUS that predicted that?" the leader crossed his flippers
"Well it certainly wasn't Kowalski." the dolphin laughed.
"HEY!" the brainiac growled, head poking out of the lab door.
"Oh hello Kowalski, what brings you to join our little gathering?"
"Are you saying that I'm not smart enough to predict if we'll go through WHATEVER you're planning in the future?" Kowalski walked into the main room and stopped behind Skipper, crossing his flippers.
"Hey 'Walski!" Rico waved a little late, still sitting on the side.
Kowalski dipped his head in greeting to Rico then returned to glaring at the tv screen, where the dolphin was seen.
"Ignoring that little nonsensical gesture, yes Kowalski, that is exactly what I'm saying to you. Well, I was speaking to Skipper and I'd very much like to continue our discussion without the help of you three puny peng-you-ins."
"Well I'm sure that whatever you have to say is IMPORTANT. So why does it have to be ONLY Skipper?" the analyst barked back.
"Simple. I deem Skipper here an honorary dolphin." Blowhole announced proudly.
"I don't want in on that deranged club of yours!" Skipper responded rudely.
"What makes you think Skipper'll join you?" Kowalski raised a brow.
"Join me once, shame on me…but if you join me twice Skipper," the dolphin cackled. "And I'll assure you that you won't be disappointed…" He backed up from the camera a bit. "Think over my offer. Oh and Kowalski? Stay out of things you don't understand…AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH!" The mammal laughed with a sigh and then the television went blank.
The penguin scientist looked at his leader. "Skipper... did he mean what I think he meant?"
"He didn't mean anything." Skipper mumbled and started walking from the main room.
"I know he meant something, Skipper. Don't you trust us enough to tell us?" Kowalski said, hoping that Skipper would just tell him.
"He's a psychopath." The leader said simply.
"You didn't answer me..." Kowalski told him calmly. "Did you... actually... join sides with him before?"
"Was a long time ago." Skipper admitted distractedly, looking around his stuff in the HQ. "I regretted my decision. It was one of those things you do once and never do again. Like Vegas or infiltrating a hippie rally dressed up like a-"
The analyst narrowed his eyes. "I get it... But... long time ago? How long?"
"After Denmark but before the date of my scheduled execution." Skipper informed, finally finding a box he was looking for with a smile and setting it down to look through. He blew the dust off of it.
"...What's that?" Kowalski peered over the leader's shoulder to look at the box.
"Authorized personnel only." the leader shoved the analysts head back sternly.
The taller penguin staggered back. "Is it something... private to you?"
"Good thinking, Kowalski." Skipper nodded and looked around. "Where's Private?"
Kowalski sighed a little. "Hiding in my lab."
"What's he doing that for?" The leader asked and called toward the lab door. "Private! Where are you!"
"I-I'm here, Skippah!" Private said meekly, slowly stepping out.
"Good. Kowalski, go get Private a snow cone. He wants one." Skipper instructed.
Kowalski opened his beak to object but closed it and snorted. "Fine. C'mon Private." Kowalski said, taking the younger's flipper and slowly walking to the ladder, where the exit was.
"Take your time and for heaven's sake Kowalski, feed the boy!" the leader exclaimed over his shoulder.
"Okay! Okay." Kowalski grumbled.
Skipper sighed when they were gone. "Well it looks like it's just you and me, Rico." He looked at the weapons expert who'd fallen asleep from boredom once the yelling stopped. The leader hit the penguin in the stomach and activated a paper shredder setting on Rico, the thick bird's mouth open wide as he started feeding it papers. "It's time to shred some incriminating evidence and very embarrassing photos…"
~PoM~
Kowalski walked with Private toward the zoo gates, snorting and grumbling to himself from time to time.
"K'walski…? Could we slow down a bit?" Private asked with a frown, being forcefully tugged along.
Kowalski stopped and looked at the rookie for a while, then with a sigh, he walked slower, still holding the young penguin's flipper.
"K'walski, you're hurting me…" The private pulled on his flipper that was in a death grip.
"Grgh, must you always ask for SO MUCH!?" Kowalski yelled, gritting his beak.
Private gasped and fell forward, not expecting such anger from the analyst. Maybe he shouldn't of even went to Kowalski in the lab. He had done it because he was scared of Skipper's furious screaming…and now…now he was afraid of Kowalski's furious screaming. His eyes teared up. He wanted Skipper now…
From the ground the young penguin looked up with blue watery frightened eyes, beak quivering slightly too.
Kowalski noticed this and his angry gaze softened. "S-sorry Private…" he said, letting go of the aching flipper and helping him up.
"I don't think I'm all that hungry…" the little bird looked down at the ground, not wanting to bother anyone else further. Skipper had already yelled at him to get away from earshot of the TV when the dolphin first started talking…
"You don't have to do that, Private. Skipper told me to get you a snow cone. And I think that was an order so I need to follow it." Kowalski said, nudging him.
Private nodded with a small smile gracing his beak and continued to walk along.
Kowalski walked beside him in silence, sighing and looking around impatiently.
"Did you lose that contact lens that wasn't yours again?" Private questioned curiously.
"What?" Kowalski looked at the cadet, raising a brow. "No, of course not."
"Then what are you so wary for?"
"Nothing. I just want to get this over with. You know... get you a snow cone... go back to HQ to find Skipper doing absolutely nothing or maybe just waiting for us because he's done looking through whatever was in that box..."
"Oh. Alright…um, K'walski?"
"Yes, Private?"
"Do you think Skippah's evil now?"
"I have my doubts... but I don't think he's 'evil'... yet..."
"What is there to doubt? We all know Dr. Blowhole's a liah."
"Have you even considered that he might as well have NOT lied? I mean... Skipper already confirmed it."
"Skippah was just saying that." Private dismissed automatically.
"How do YOU know? What if he wasn't 'just saying that'?" Kowalski said with an air quote.
"I know he wasn't."
"How?"
Private shrugged. "I just do, K'walski."
Kowalski sighed and looked away.
"Why are you acting this way? This is Skippah we're talking about! We all know Skippah…"
"I know. But I can't help feeling that... that he might betray us."
That crossed a line and Private lost it a bit angrily. "This…is…SKIPPAH!"
"Well even though it IS Skipper, what if there's a part of him that we don't know about yet!? Have you thought of THAT!?" Kowalski argued. "And what if that certain part of him involves treachery and betrayal!?"
"No, but I'm not at all worried about that."
Kowalski narrowed his eyes. "Then what ARE you worried about?"
"Why you're so bitter to Skippah about all this. You don't see Rico or I going against him now."
"And I'm NOT going against him... it's just that... I... I just have a hunch, okay? That's it. I don't want to argue anymore."
"We weren't arguing…were we?"
Kowalski turned his head. "...I just don't want to discuss this matter anymore, Private."
Private gasped "We were arguing, K'walski! We'll end up just like Dr. Blowhole and Skippah!" His flippers covered his beak in fear. "Ou!" The smaller penguin wrapped his flippers around the taller. "I'm sorry I am!"
Kowalski looked at the boy hugging him. He put one flipper around him and patted his back. "It's alright..."
"I don't want to be your enemy…"
"Nor do I want to be yours..."
The young penguin sighed and nuzzled his beak into the other's neck a bit. "I don't think Skippah's evil…"
"He's not... and I'm sure he'll make the right choice...and decline Blowhole's invitation..."
Private nodded silently.
"C'mon. Let's go get that snow cone." Kowalski said, slowly pulling away from the hug.
The private smiled as they went on, but came to an abrupt stop shortly after with a frown.
The analyst raised his brow at the other. "Is... something wrong, Private?"
Private looked up. "Where's Rico?"
Kowalski's eyes widened too, blinking.
~PoM~
EPILOGUE:
"You were right! I do like your side better!" The leader chuckled.
"I told you, you would not be disappointed…"
"I'm surprised to say I most certainly am not, Blowhole! So you got the files?"
The dolphin grinned on the other end of the webcam. "So long as you keep up the end of the bargain and send me yours."
"Yeah sure." Skipper nodded and slowly typed with his flippers, tongue sticking out a bit at the corner of his beak. He clicked one more key determinedly. "Ready to send on this end, what about you?"
"Oh wait let me see now…hm…" Blowhole looked down at his own keyboard, clicking some keys as well. "Mmhm…ah! Send! No…" The villain mumbled.
"Did you hit enter?"
"Of course I did! I believe I know how to work technology a lot better than you can." The mammal snapped in a grumble.
Skipper rolled his eyes from his end of the video chat connection. "I don't have all day here, Blowhole. Are you going to send the folders or not?"
"I am trying! I never knew you peng-you-ins were so impatient…! …There. I've sent it. Now send yours."
With another eye roll the squatty leader hit send on his computer. A moment later there was a ding in his inbox. "Got it." Skipper informed.
Almost immediately after there was a ping on the dolphin's end. "You've got mail!"
The leader snorted in a laugh. "Seriously? Now I know I'm not into all the tech-savvy gizmos and MyBook websites but I know you're not THAT old of a tuna sandwich ."
"I am a mammal." Blowhole corrected and clicked a key to open up his email. A smirk graced his gray snout at all the photos of the penguin commander in multiple disguises. "Very impressive, Skipper… I must say I am a fan of your undercover work."
The leader peered into his own email with amusement, scrolling through the various disguises of the dolphin. "You're not too bad yourself. You're almost able to look at in a beard."
The villain chuckled. "I will take that as a compliment given."
"So, same time next week?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the wo-o-o-o-orld." The mammal replied, humming. "Unless of course it would fall on a week that I am taking it over."
Skipper scoffed. "We'll see about that."
"I guess we'll just have to, won't we? So long, oh and I hope you have a terrible night."
The leader smirked. "Yeah, you too, villainous scum."
There was an amused look in response from Blowhole before the connection was shut off and the laptop screen went blank.
Skipper laughed a bit to himself before shutting the computer and walking off to put it back in the box along with all his many persona photos. He'd need to take more if he was ever going to beat his enemy at their little game. He put the box back in its place on the shelf and walked away whistling, shutting out the light as he departed the room.
"Huh?!" Rico who had been fast sleep, woke with a start, looking around the dark HQ. He smacked his beak a bit, stretching with a sigh. He had the weirdest dream. Skipper and Dr. Blowhole were webcamming. "Pfft! Yeh right!" He then rolled over with a yawn, scratching his side before going on back to sleep. What a ridiculous thought.