Plushie

Penguins of Madagascar © Nickelodeon and DreamWorks

The wind was blowing rather persistently that day. It could be the sign that autumn was coming near and summer was at its last days. It was Thursday morning, but it was two hours past breakfast time. People were either already at work or busy doing their own activities. That didn't apply for some certain people though. For example, the men who lived in a small house located in one particular neighborhood in New York City. There were no signs of any of them going outside since that morning, or was it since last week?

Inside that very house, a young boy ─probably at the age of 18 ─ was looking out through a closed window, absorbed in the sight of the landscape outside. Although the windowpane was kind of dusty, for it had been long since someone cleaned it, he could still see how the leaves were being flown away aimlessly. Sometimes, they circled around before going back to another random direction. Why such scenery amused the boy so much that he got lost in his own thought, one could never find the right answer. Maybe it was the result of a whole week of uneventful days, too much time to spare, that looking through a windowpane was considered an activity.

Suddenly his eyes narrowed a little bit, as if something had caught his attention. True to that, a peculiar object was flown into the scene before him. It was nothing that could possibly belong there, for that thing was a doll. It was more like a plushie though, a small one, and because of the distance and the constant movement, he could not yet make out what the shape was. The color was of butter, soft pale yellow, around the green leaves. The newest member of the team left his stand in haste for obvious reason. His first step outside the house sent shivers throughout his small body; it was a windy day after all. While taking a note in his mind to wear a jacket whenever he went out from then on, he quickened his pace to the place he had been watching this past few minutes. His haste was not in vain, he still saw the plushie there, being dragged around by the wind. It was an easy catch despite the look of it. Taking a good look at the thing in his hand, he tried to think who could have such cute stuffed toy around there. It was a bunny shaped with two red and green buttons as its eyes. Another shivers and he decided it wasn't wise to stay outside another minute or he could wake up in his bed tomorrow with a cold.

He settled himself down into the living room sofa, still holding the bunny, and ponders who the owner could be. There weren't many children around the neighborhood and most of them are boys, but then again, it could be anyone's. Who would throw away such cute thing? The yellow bunny had some dirt and dust on it and it wouldn't come off just by tissue, it needed to be washed.

On his way back to the living room after putting the plush toy inside the washing machine to be cleaned, a man suddenly came down from the stairs. Anxiousness was shown clearly on his face and his eyes were darting from side to side.

"Skippa?"

The black haired man was startled for a bit, it seemed he didn't realize before that there was someone beside him.

"Oh, hi there Private. Did you by any chance see ─"
He quickly closed his mouth with his hand, like he shouldn't have said anything at all.

The boy before him tilted his head to the side a little.

"See what? Are you looking for something, Skippa?"

"N-no, never mind. I'll just go back to my room. "

"You know I can be of help." Private insisted a bit, remembering the worried expression the other man had before.

"No, really. It's just something unimportant; you don't need to worry about it."

With that, the older man hurried his way to his own room.

It was rare to see the leader of the team worried like that. The last time he looked like that was when Private was held captive by an enemy.
'Something doesn't seem right here. What could make him so worried… It's something very important for sure. But, why would Skippa lie and try to hide it from me?'

The only important things for Skipper from what Private could think of were his coffee mug and the television. They were likely to be lost though, because the mug had just been used for his daily morning routine and the television was still there in the living room.

'Could it be his Ninja-something DVD collections? If it were, why would he keep it a secret? It's not something he would be embarrassed of (on the contrary, he was proud of his collections) ─ '

And then, something just snapped out in the boy's mind…

'He couldn't be looking for those kind of… stuffs…, could he?'

Private knew that his face right then was most likely redder than the tomato he ate for breakfast. He shook his head and tried to clear his mind, feeling disappointed at himself for having such thought about his leader. Maybe it was best for him not to worry too much about it, just like what Skipper said, and wait until he felt like telling him what the thing in question was.

The young boy blinked his eyes a few times, realizing that he actually had been standing in the hall way for quite a while then. He was supposed to be in the living room to watch TV while waiting for the washing machine to finish cleaning the plushie. Private decided to go back and check it, assuming that it was probably done cleaning.

He was right, the washing machine had stopped. The fact that he actually set the time for ten minutes amazed him of how he could get lost in his own thought for quite such an amount of time. The yellow bunny was then spotless and it looked even cuter than before without any dirt on it. Subconsciously, he smiled at it and there was a sudden desire to actually keep it for himself, maybe Mr. Bunny (a name he gave no longer than 5 seconds ago) could be friends with his Lunacorn. Almost immediately, guilt took over his mind. He shouldn't had thought like that, the owner must be worried and looking for it desperately. Private himself would have been worried or maybe cried if he were to lose his beloved Lunacorn.

The youngest member of the team tried his luck of finding the owner by knocking on the laboratory door, surely a smart guy like him would have a clue.

Three knocks…., no response.

Three more knocks…, still no answer.

Five louder knocks…., silence.

A number of desperate knocks along with the boy shouting; "EXCUSE ME! KOWA─"
The gray metal door was suddenly opened with a lot of smoke coming out and a loud whizzing noise. A shadow was appearing from it and the sound of heavy sighs could be heard. After the smoke was clearing out, a tall man in his laboratory coat ─which was full of stains─ stood in front of the door. His face was fully covered with a gas mask, and his loud sighs could still be heard. If Private was had just been recruited that day, he would have gone pale or maybe passed out upon seeing that very sight.

"What… is… it…?" The man's voice sounded heavy as he bend his body forward a little and looked down on the other guy.

"Ummm Kowalski, could you please remove your gas mask?"

Although Private was used to seeing him like this, the big gray mask that fully covered his face still somehow felt intimidating. The heavy breathing that came out of it and the big difference of their heights didn't help either.

"Oh, right! Sorry there Private, I forgot that I was still wearing it."

As the scientist removed it, the face of a spectacled young man ─no older than the leader─ could then be seen. Black circles started to form under his eyes from the lack of sleep, which usually meant that he found a new experimenting to do. Unfortunately, his inventions hardly ended up to be any good. Not that they didn't work or anything – it was just that most (or maybe each) of them turned to be a dangerous threat for the team (if they hadn't got blown up in the lab first). He was still a very smart guy though, who was just lacking in the luck department.

"So, is there anything I can do for you?" The scientist gave the boy a genuine but tired smile.

"Yes, though I just want to ask you something. Ummm… do you happen to know anyone around here who probably own this?"

Kowalksi raised one of his eyebrows as Private showed him the yellow bunny.

"Not anyone that I can think of, and this is also the first time I've seen it."

The brain of the team cocked his head to one side, his hand on his chin, and he narrowed his eyes, examining the thing before him and trying to figure out the answer.

"Hmmm… Rico likes doll, but only the Barbie ones, he absolutely hates stuffed animal. Where did you find it anyway?"

"Under the tree, just outside our house. It was blown by the wind, I think."

"Then it could be anyone's from the neighborhood. Sorry, Private, but I don't know anyone around here better than you do." The man in the lab coat sighed and gave the other party an apologetic look. He couldn't help to feel a little bit guilty as the boy looked down, disappointment showed clearly on his face.

"Why don't you ask Skipper or Rico? Maybe they can give you any clue-"

Before he could finish his words, there was a loud exploding sound coming from the lab that made both of them jumped a little.

"Ahahaha… Sorry about that. Guess I better go back into the lab, before I bring the whole house down." Kowalksi let out a small laugh as he rubbed the back of his head, which earned him a worried and concerned face from the youngest member of the team.

"Good luck on your search then."

With that, the spectacled man waved his hand and went back inside his personal habitat.

Private walked off, still looking at Mr. Bunny in his hand. By the time he looked up, he was already standing in front of the last person he hadn't seen that day. The boy just stood there, looking at the wooden door in front of him. The truth was, he had always been kind of scared toward the guy inside the very room he stood against. What if he hated the sight of the plushie so much, he'd snatch it from his hand and rip the poor thing apart? What if the weapon maniac took the bunny and used it as a target for his shooting practice? What if the man got startled by his knocks and thought that he was an intruder and suddenly shot him?

His face grew paler with each thought he had of the man he was about to ask. Eventually, he shook those thoughts away, hoping that the man wouldn't be in a bad mood. His hand was already an inch away from the door, but he withdrew it a little. Taking a deep breath, he tried to only thinking positively, and a second after that he heard himself knocking at the door three times.

The wooden door opened almost immediately – although Private kind of hoped that the occupant had been away – showing a tall man (but still shorter than Kowalski) with a build up body covered with a white sweat shirt. His hair was cut short and spiky, there was also a scar across his lips (which no one ever told him how he got it) and his sharp eyes were glaring upon the boy. Although the weapon expert was holding his Barbie doll in one hand, and a small comb in the other, his presence still gave out a terrifying aura.

"Uhh… I'm so sorry for bothering you Rico. I- I just want to ask if you happen to know who wh-who the owner of this doll is?" Private could feel his lips trembling and his knee shaking and he didn't have the courage to look the other man directly in the eyes. The taller guy blinked a few times at the small doll being held before his eyes.

Hearing no answer, he looked from the corner of his eyes at the man in front of him. The man just shook his head as a response.

"I- I see. I'll guess I just have to ask Skipper. Again, sorry for bothering you"

Before he could sprint himself out of there, Rico raised his hand at him. Private closed his eyes in reflect, preparing himself for the hit he knew was about to come. Instead of pain he was expecting to have, he felt something ruffled his hair. Private opened his eyes and looked up at the man before him. His hand continued to ruffle the young boy's hair and he just couldn't believe what he saw. The man he had always been afraid of since the day he became the member of the team, was smiling at him.

"S'rry and good luck."

He then went back to his room, leaving the shocked boy standing there. Private still had his mouth opened a little in disbelief. His hand subconsciously touched his hair and he felt ashamed of himself for what he always thought of the previous man.

The young boy continued his search of the owner of the plushie to the leader's room. Three knocks on the door and it was opened. This time, a very depressed and tired looking man showed up. His usual slicked back hair was then a complete mess, along with his untucked shirt.

"Skippa? What's wrong? It's not because of that thing you were looking for,… is it?"

The man just rolled his eyes, refusing to say anything. That just made Private even more worried. What thing could have made the always lively looking and strong leader to be in such state? The boy really wished he could help him, but he didn't have any idea what to do since the man in trouble kept his mouth shut about it.

"What is it?"

His voice sounded hoarse and heavy, but it reminded Private about his first intention on meeting the leader.

"N-no, I was just about to ask you if you somehow know anyone around here who might have this thing. I found it under the tree outside our house."

In that very moment, Skipper's eyes grew so wide in disbelief – that made Private afraid it would pop if it was any wider – at the thing he was looking at.

In no longer than a second, the older guy snatched it away from his subordinate hand.

"Oh Bunny, I've finally found you! I was worried that I would never be able to hold you again."

Private just couldn't believe what he saw, he wouldn't even dream about it. It was even weirder than the first time he knew that Rico had a Barbie as a girlfriend, weirder than the time he saw Kowalksi turned into a penguin by his own experiment. The confused boy stood there with his mouth agape, while watching his leader hugging the yellow bunny for dear life. He was so lost in the thought that he didn't notice the single tear of joy in the corner of the other man's eye.

The leader of the team snapped out by the sound of someone clearing his throat. That was when he realized what he had just done and he felt his face grew hot.

Oh, shit.

"Ummm… Skippa… I never knew that you like that kind of thing. It was really… well, unexpected. I- I mean, you always seem to dislike Lunacorns."

"D-Don't get me wrong Private, I do dislike them! I hate cute fluffy things!"

He paused for a moment and looked into the plushie he was still hugging.

"This one's different. I have it since I was little, it was the only thing I had from my mother before she was… gone. It's always calmed me down whenever I was scared, and it still does."

The man realized what he had just said and his face turned into a deeper shade of red than before.

"Don't you even try telling anyone about this!"

His words suddenly became harsh as he yelled at the boy, making him startled.

"I won't, Skippa. This also won't make me think any less of you. Infact, I'm happy to know this side of you. It makes me respect you even more."

Private's sweet smile made the leader felt guilty for snapping at him before.

"S-Sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you. It was just… this doll had always been my most treasured thing, until recently."

"Eh? Does that mean there's something even more important than Mr. Bunny?"

"Y-yes." He turned his head and averted his gaze, trying to hide his blush.

More like someone…

"What is it? What is it? Can you show me? Please?"
Private couldn't help to hide his curiosity, just what other unexpected thing beside the plushie that he treasured most.

"I'm not telling."

If I told you, it would be more like a confession…

Before he could die of embarrassment, he went back to his room and the boy could only hold out his tongue at the closed door.

"Meanie!"

"Anyway, thank you for finding it"

Private heard a shout from inside the room, and he couldn't help to let out a small chuckle. His leader was a very interesting person.

END

Somewhere behind the wall, not far from Skipper's room, two men listened quietly the whole conversation that had just been going on.

"Our Private is as cute and oblivious as ever. The whole bunny thing surprised me though, I would never have guessed." The first man adjusted his glasses while still observing the scene.

The second man nodded in agreement at what the other just said.

A sigh escaped the first man mouth as he looked at the man beside him.

"I just wish that I had brought some popcorn with me."

Author's Note :

This is my first fanfiction ever, I'm sorry if there's any typo (It's not beta-ed) or bad grammar (English isn't my first language)

Also I apologize if they're kind of OOC
I think it would't be so weird for Skipper to own a plushie, I mean, even someone like Rico owns a Barbie and plays with it

These penguins are weird after all, which is why they're awesome

:p

Thanks for reading :)

Hope you enjoyed it

And it'd be nice if you could drop a review