The true perfection of man lies not in what man has, but in what man is.

Emotional Brew

This is my first POM story, so don't laugh. First FFN story as well. The story is set after the episode "Monkey Love" - Skilene. Enjoy, and Review! First chapter of a very long, very intense saga that crosses over with the Dark Tower Saga and The Swarm, by Frank Schatzing. This story is skilene memoriam ONLY.

Chapter One

"32 – 33 – 34 – rrrgh! – 35…" Marlene counted as she cracked open oysters. She sighed, and threw down oyster 36. "Ohh! When will they listen to me? Never!" Her eyes fell upon a test tube. She picked it up with her hand. It held a strange green liquid in it. A cork at the top stopped the gases from seeping out. In their haste to get back to the penguin's place, they left behind Kowalski's formula, Love Potion 37. She heard someone coming, and quickly hid the tube behind her stone bed.

Private entered the room. "'Ello, Marlene! What are you doing?" Her heart beat faster. She quickly picked up an oyster and tried to remain inconspicuous. "Cracking oysters for Phil and Lulu." She said. "But they're together now!" Private said.

"Say what?" Marlene asked. Private explained how Phil decided to just talk to her. "And it worked!" Marlene threw down the oyster again. She sighed, "Oh." Now what was she going to do? Private looked at her. "Marlene, are you okay?"

"What? Oh, yeah, of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" she laughed nervously. Private backed down the pipe. "Well, okay then." And he left. Marlene sat on her bed. Those stupid penguins… she picked up the tube again. What if… Marlene smiled. No, it wasn't like her. She couldn't. But she found herself placing some drops on an oyster anyway. She couldn't stop. She set a table for the penguins, plus her.

PENGUINS HEADQUARTERS…

"How was Marlene, Private?" Skipper asked. "She acted funny. I think she was upset but wouldn't show it." "Well, now. Why would she be upset?" Skipper thought to himself. This is my new mission. He thought to himself. He climbed up the ladder and headed over to the otter habitat. Kowalski was outside looking at his clipboard and thinking. Skipper nudged him.

"Do you have any idea why Marlene would be upset?" he asked the scientist. "According to this" Kowalski replied "It was because Phil and Mason came to her first, and no one would listen to her ideas. Even though they were bogus." Skipper thought for a minute. "Kowalski, options!"

Kowalski immediately replies. "We could bring up a complicated conversation in which we admit that her upsetting is our fault and concern." "In other words, apologize?" "Uhhh…Yes."

"Alright. Kowalski, you're coming with me." They waddled over to Marlene's. Skipper walked in and Kowalski hid outside where skipper didn't notice him missing. His stealth training had given him much benefit, even in times like this. A man once said "Hell hath no fury like a scorned woman". This was true, in many ways. If Kowalski was honest with himself, he would know that it was he that was scared, and not Skipper. Nonetheless, skipper walked across the threshold of the cave to the empty table that sat in the center. Marlene was setting oysters all the way around the table, and a vase of flowers sat in the middle.

Marlene, just seconds before, dripped some of the love potion onto one of the oysters. If this played out right, skipper would pay more attention to her… pray nothing went wrong. Skipper walked up to her. "Marlene, I want to apologize for our rudeness earlier today. Kowalski and I… he ditched me!" Skipper looked about the room. "Anyway, if there's anything we can do to make it up, we're happy to serve." he started to turn around and walk out the door. Marlene stopped him. " I do have oysters that need eaten..Care to join?"

"Isn't there something else we can do instead?"

"No, the only thing that needs done is getting rid of these oysters before they smell. They are related to fish, and I know how much you boys like fish." Marlene smiled at skipper. Almost had him! Just stay cool, Marlene. She thought to herself. Be Yourself. Skipper won't suspect anything. "Alright." Skipper said, almost moaning but not quite. He ran back to base.

"Men, Marlene have made us dinner. We are to enjoy the oysters, and eat them! Move out!" They crept out through the Private's First Prize entrance. In minutes, the whole team was seated around Marlene's stone table. "It looks good, Marlene." Private complimented. Kowalski, sitting to the left of Marlene and out of his hiding spot, agreed. Rico nodded enthusiastically. "Thank you, boys. I did the best I could under the circumstances."

They started eating. Skipper and Marlene appeared to be the only ones who knew what to do. Rico was banging his with a hammer. Kowalski was taking notes on it, and Private was holding it tenderly, trying to close his eyes and ease it into his mouth. "You'd think they'd never eaten new food before." Skipper said in between bites. Marlene giggled. Skipper clutched his stomach. "OOOh," he moaned. "I'm sorry Marlene, but I don't think the oysters agreeing with my stomach." Skipper tried to breathe through his nostrils. He smelled something funny. Funny good. It was fishy, and like salmon. Why did he smell salmon? He sniffed the air, getting closer to the smell...Eyes closed, he opened them when he touched something soft-Marlene's arm.

The whole table was staring at him. "I, uh, I was uh, looking for lice-Marlene, it's been real nice, but we got to get back to our duties." Skipper said nervously. What was the burning in his chest area he felt? Where did the salmon smell go? It just disappeared…as did skipper. Marlene watched them waddle out. She hoped it had worked. Would it be enough? She lay down in her bed, and worried herself to sleep.