"Hazards of Love"
Hello and welcome to "Hazards of Love". Please enjoy. BTW: This is a co-author story written by Tripenguinman and I. We hope you all enjoy it. Thank-you for reading this message.
Chapter One: False Love
Marlene was walking towards the penguin habitat. Time to work some charm. But
not on Kowalski like she would perfer. She was going for Skipper. Yes she
loved Kowalski but he didn't seem to love her. But maybe if he saw her with
Skipper, he would get jealous and then he would come after her. It was worth a
shot. She did feel bad about using Skipper but he'd get over it. She was
there. Wearing a nice perfume, a little lipstick, opening her eyes wider. Yeah
she was acting like a prep but she loved Kowalski enough for this. She entered
and saw Skipper sitting there. He was drinking some fish coffee before bed.
Kowalski was out on Recon. She decided she'd try the urgent routine to get him
alone, away from Rico and Private.
"Skipper, can I talk to you?" she asked
"Affirmative, Marlene." Skipper said and stood exceptantly.
"Alone?" she said
"Negative, where would we talk?" he asked
"The bathroom?" she suggested
Skipper eyed her strangely and then sighed.
"Alright and led her in."
He closed the door and turned to her.
"Now, what is it?" he asked, crossing his flippers over his chest.
She edged her way over to the door and locked the door so no one could come
in. He noticed and looked at her with catuion. She looked at him with a the
best sexy smile she could give.
"Why'd you lock the door?" he asked, lowering his head a little to give her an
interoggating look.
"Oh I thought we could, ya know, talk about...." she was beginning to wonder
how she could get this started.
She decided to stand closer and look deep in his eyes, and.... she started to
become hypnotized by their iceberg blue, deep ocean.
" What," Skipper raised an eyebrow as he eyed the otter who was locking eyes with him. " Talk about what?"
" I've sort of, kind of been wondering," Marlene chirped as she leaned even closer to Skipper's face, causing him to back up into the door. " Would you like to go out on a date with me?"
" You wanted to talk to me alone so you could ask me that," Skipper squawked as Marlene moved closer to him. " And get in my face?"
" Yes," Marlene peeped then clasped her paws together, while smiling. " Will you?"
Skipper looked took a flipper to his beak then looked down, thinking. This is your chance, Skipper. Say yes. " I would love to," He buzzed as he looked up at the otter whose nose was almost touching the end of his beak. " Pick you up at seven o'clock?"
" Of course," Marlene peeped then kissed Skipper on the end of his beak. " I'll see you then."
" Okay," Skipper stuttered a little with a blush then went back to normal. " Uh, Marlene? Do you mind?"
" Oh, sorry," Marlene chortled then stepped back. " I didn't realize." Skipper cleared his throat, unlocked the door then opened it.
" Ladies first," Skipper gestured with a flipper as he held the door open. Marlene chuckled a bit then walked out. Skipper followed, after sighing. Together, the two walked back into the room with the other penguins. When they came back into the room, Kowalski was standing in front of them, staring as he let the binoculars hang by his side. " Kowalski, what are you doing back, early," Skipper barked. " Are we being invaded?"
" I was going to say that Marlene was missing, but I see you found her," Kowalski murmured as he gestured a flipper at the otter then turned to walk to the hatch. " So I'm going to go back on recon duty. See ya."
" See ya," Marlene and Skipper rang, together as they watched Kowalski exit out of the habitat through the hatch.
"Uh, Skipper," Marlene said, starting to have second thoughts.
Maybe she hadn't built up the ** enough yet. Maybe she needed to put a little
passion into Skipper to make it better.
"Yes?" he asked, looking at her again and turned to the boys. "Private, Rico!
Go help Kowalski in Recon!"
"Yes Skippah!" Private shouted
"YA YA!" Rico sqwaked and they raced out.
"Can I stay a little longer?" she asked him, getting closer again,
"Sure." he said, brightening.
Her stomach leapt as she did this, but not in a bad way, it was more in sheer
joy. She sat down and he sat down beside her.
"So uh, what do you wanna talk about?" he asked
"Um well...." she said.
She thought but couldn't think of anything so she just smashed her lips
against his beak and kissed him.
Skipper froze for a moment then wrapped his flippers around her shoulders, kissing her back. " I'm sorry to bother you, Skipper," Private chirped as he came back inside, through the hatch. " But I forget to bring…" He stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes grew wide at the site that was before him. Private's face became pale as he almost lost his grip on the bars. " Never mind," he uttered quickly then climbed up the ladder, leaving. " Our growling stomachs can wait."
Right after he left, Skipper and Marlene pulled apart and stared into each other's eyes with wide grins. " Well," Skipper stated slowly, still holding onto Marlene's shoulders. " That was breath taking."
" It sure was," Marlene sighed.
" So, what were you going to say, before you tried to rip my beak off," Skipper chuckled.
" Nothing," Marlene uttered then sat up, after Skipper released her. " I got to go. Bye."
" Bye," Skipper muttered as he watched her leave, through the hatch. After she left, Skipper fell on the floor, landing on his back with a sigh.
Meanwhile, at the top of the clock tower, Private ran into Kowalski and Rico and almost sent them hurling down to the sidewalk. " Sweet mercy, Private," Kowalski bellowed as he glared at the young penguin, after he and Rico regained their balance. " You could've killed us."
" Sorry, fellas," Private squeaked as he panted.
" Snacks," Rico grunted with a shrug.
" Sorry, Rico," Private peeped. " I didn't have time to grab any snacks. I was in too much of a fright."
" Why," Kowalski piped as he raised an eyebrow at the young penguin. The young penguin took a deep breath and explained what he had seen. Once he was done explaining, Rico and Kowalski stood, staring at Private with their mouths wide open.
"Private, have you been eating winkies again?" Kowalski asked, starting to
think it was a joke.
"No, and the Skorca was real!" Private exclaimed
"Oh, yes. Right." Kowalski said
And the jealous began to bubble up inside him and he charged away. Private and
Rico looked at each other and then at Kowalski.
"Where're you going?" Private called after him.
"To Skipper." Kowalski said angrily.
When he reached the penguin habitat, he found Skipper lying on the floor,
smiling at the ceiling.
"What'd you mean, kissing her?!" Kowalski shouted, pointing at his leader.
"Who? What?" Skipper said, not really paying attention.
"How dare you chew on Marlene! And right in front of little Private!" kowalski
shouted, growing hot under his feathers.
"Whoa, whoa!" Skipper said, snapping to attention. "'Chewing'?"
"Affrimative! Private told me about you sucking her face!"
"Kowalski, what's you're problem?!" Skipper shouted
"You!" Kowalski shouted, getting face-to-face with Skipper.
" Me," Skipper scoffed as he pushed himself up off of the floor. " What'd I do?"
" You know what," Kowalski spat as he kept his eyes in contact with Skipper's.
" I don't know what," Skipper screamed then shrugged. " What the heck did I do to become your problem, huh? You were fine when you left for recon."
" I can't tell you," Kowalski roared. " You wouldn't understand."
" Understand what," Skipper barked then paused as a grin grew on his face. " Oh? I get it. You're in love with Marlene, too."
" How'd you know," Kowalski squeaked with a raised eyebrow.
" Lucky guess," Skipper mumbled as he rolled his eyes then put his flippers on his hips. " By the way, what was Private doing here, after I specifically told him to help you with recon duty?"
" He came to get some snacks then saw you and Marlene making out," Kowalski groaned then growled. " I can't believe you would let yourself get out of control like that and put Marlene, before the team."
" Kowalski, I would never do that," Skipper snapped. " You boys are like the brothers I never had."
" If we are like the brothers you never had then why aren't you helping out with recon duty, too, huh," Kowalski yelped.
" Kowalski, I was coming by to help in a few minutes," Skipper bellowed. " Honest."
" Yeah, before you got side tracked," Kowalski boomed.
" Kowalski, I wasn't planning on getting side tracked," Skipper yipped then folded his flippers. " And besides, we're getting off topic here."
" Topic, right," Kowalski snarled. " Look, what does Marlene see in you?"
" I don't know," Skipper snapped. "I haven't got the chance to ask her."
" You didn't ask her," Kowalski squealed.
" No," Skipper shouted.
" Well it couldn't be kindness or selflessness, because you don't have either," Kowalski snapped, which made Skipper gasp.
" You take that back," Skipper rang as he pointed a flipper at Kowalski.
" Never," Kowalski snarled.
" Take it back," Skipper yelled.
" No," Kowalski spat.
"I said take it back, gosh darn it," Skipper screamed as he stomped his foot on the floor with his flipper balled up into fists. " I order you." With a yell, Kowalski slapped Skipper clear across the face, knocking him down onto the floor.
"You'll regret doing that!" Skipper roared and threw Kowalski up against the
wall.
"Never!" Kowalski shouted back.
"Look, you little...... I'm not even going to say what you are, just get your
beak out of my business!"
"You're business?!" Kowalski shouted
"What?! Ya think because you're in love with her, that you should know
everything that should go on?!" Skipper shot back.
"Oh, well why don't you just go ahead and mate in front of Private, who
cares?!" Kowalski shouted
"Kowalski da-.....! Forget it!" Skipper shouted and spat in Kowalski face.
"Stay out of my business! Leave me alone, and if you even try something, I'm
going to kill you, got it?!"
Kowalski had never seen such rage in the iceberg eyes and he tried to match it
but Skipper was winning.
"Now, get your butt out of her!" Skipper shouted and let go of him, letting
him slide to the floor. "You'll be doing manitance for seven monthes!"
Skipper turned and then turned back. Kowalski only sat there and stared in
fear at the penguin.
"Oh and I have a date with Marlene, and by the way, you aren't a brother
anymore!"
" Good," Kowalski choked out. " I never wanted to be your lord forsaken brother, anyway."
" Good," Skipper boomed as Kowalski stood up.
" Good," Kowalski shouted as he started heading toward the sewer exit.
" Good," Skipper hissed as he watched Kowalski opened the door.
" Good," Kowalski snapped as he walked through the doorway then slammed the metal door, hard, shaking a few items in the HQ.
" Good," Skipper mumbled then went to get ready for his date.
After Kowalski had slammed the door, he waddled over to Marlene's cave. When he got to Marlene's cave, he saw her putting on make-up and mumbling to herself, while looking into a compact mirror, which was sitting in one of her paws. " Okay," Marlene exhaled as she applied some mascara. " I can do this. It is just one date with Skipper."
" Ehem," Kowalski grunted, causing Marlene to screech and look up, smearing her mascara in the process. " Sorry."
" That's okay," Marlene piped then sat her compact mirror on her bed. " So, what brings you by?"
" Nothing," Kowalski peeped. " Just thought I'd drop by and say hello."
" Oh," Marlene chirped. " Well, hello to you, too."
" Yeah," Kowalski muttered then tapped a flipper below one of his eyebrows. " Uh, you got a little something, right there."
" Oh," Marlene jumped then giggled as she glanced up at the smeared mascara. " Why, thank-you."
"So uh.... getting ready for your date?" he asked, nervously.
"Yep." she chimmed.
"Oh.... so uh... you got.... uh... WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT SKIPPER!" he
shouted, breaking down.
"What?!" Marlene said turning.
"What does Skipper have that I don't?!" Kowalski shouted
"Kowalski I-...."
"I love you!"
"I l-...."
"And Skipper has to rub it in and-....!"
"Kowalski!" Marlene shouted and pressed her lips to his beak.
And he-..... no not heaven. It felt wrong. She couldn't explain it. She just
didn't feel like it was the fireworks she had hoped for. And yet she'd felt
this with Skipper. Then a throat clearing caught their attention and they
turned to see Skipper, crossed flippers, and tapping a foot.
"Skipper-... I-....!" Marlene stammered.
"HA! IN YOUR FREAKIN' FACE!" Kowalski shouted and hit Skipper in the stomach,
laughing scronfully.
"Yeah, yeah. Laugh." Skipper said, tears running down his face.
Kowalski fell silent as he saw Skipper's weeping.
"You think it's alright to play with someone's heart," Skipper said "Never
thought you'd stab them right through it did you?"
" Skipper," Kowalski uttered, but Skipper put a flipper up.
" You don't need to say it," Skipper sniffled as his voice cracked then turned around to leave. Before he left, he peered over at Marlene then ran out, sobbing.
" Skipper, wait," Marlene wailed out then ran after him. Kowalski took a deep breath then followed, wanting to make sure Skipper would not do anything stupid to hurt himself or Marlene. " Skipper," Marlene rang from behind the lead penguin. " Wait up."
She and Kowalski had been running after Skipper for at least ten minutes, until he ran into the lemur habitat. From there, the two quietly sneaked in then looked around, but could only see the lemurs, sitting at the juice bar. " Hey, guys," Marlene chirped as she approached the lemurs then stopped. " Have you seen, Skipper?"
" No," the lemurs answered in unison as they played " War" with a deck of cards.
" But he just came in here," Kowalski grunted as he stepped next to Marlene. " You didn't see him?"
" Nope, sorry," Maurice peeped as he a set the 'King of Hearts" down. Soon, Kowalski heard a noise then turned his head. He noticed that the shed door on the other side of the habitat was cracked open. Kowalski groaned then waddled over to the bamboo built shed. When he got there, he opened the door. All of a sudden, Skipper tackled Kowalski onto the ground and began punching him in the face with his flippers.
" Why you dirty little," Skipper belched out in between punches.
" Go on," Kowalski screamed as he blocked Skipper's flippers then grabbed a hold of them. " Say it."
" Woman stealer," Skipper squealed then kicked Kowalski between the legs. " And just for doing that, I'm going to kill you, bring you back to life then kill you, again, then bring you back to life and so on." All of a sudden, Kowalski got one of his flippers loose, reached up, and punched Skipper right in the face, making him fall backwards, into the shed.
" I am not a woman stealer," Kowalski spat then stood up. " I'm a scientist and…" He fell silent as he glanced at Skipper's face. He had given him a left black eye. " You should really get that eye checked out, after this," Kowalski muttered then roared. " Anyway. You can't kill me, bring me back to life then repeat the killing, again. It's impossible. Plus, it is illegal."
"Kowalski, you'll never understand anything beyond science will you?" Skipper asked, tears rolling down his cheeks and suddenly Kowalski started to feel a horrible pit in his stomach and his heart was in his throat.
"Skipper, please-…." Marlene began as she came up, but he closed his eyes in despair.
"I always loved you, Marlene. You know that?" he said
She shook her head, tears forming in her eyes.
"And you Kowalski, you're always a brother, no matter what you do… but I'll never forgive you. Now let me pass." he said and dropped his head and waddled toward them. Kowalski put up his flippers though.
"Where are you going?" he asked, trying to see Skipper's eyes but he wouldn't show them.
"Does it matter?" he asked
"Yes."
"Then I don't know, why do you care Kowalski? You don't want to be friends, teammates, brothers anymore. Besides you've got Marlene to take care of."
"Skipper-…." Marlene tried again but Skipper took his eyes at her darkly.
"Marlene, I hope you and Kowalski have a good life and besides, why do I matter? You messed with my heart. Played me for a sucker. And God wasn't I the sucker?"
"No…" Marlene whispered, only managing to squeeze this out of her tightened throat.
"Take good care of her Kowalski." he said and looked Kowalski right in the eye. "Now let me by."
But he went ahead and pushed through anyway.
" Skipper, come on," Marlene peeped as she and Kowalski watched Skipper waddle away. " I'm sorry…Skipper?" To her dismay, Skipper ignored her and continued waddling out of the lemur habitat. Marlene sighed then glanced over at Kowalski who had his head lowered. He was on the verge of tears. " Kowalski," the otter piped. " You know I didn't…"
" Forget it," Kowalski groaned as he held a flipper up. " What you did was unforgivable…And to think I was in love with you." With a rock on one of his feet, the tall intellect waddled out of the lemur habitat as well. After he was out of the lemur habitat, Kowalski glanced about, until he saw the hatch to the HQ close. " Figures," the tall intellect mumbled then entered the penguin habitat. When he came into the penguin habitat, he went into the HQ, through the hatch. Once he was inside the HQ and standing on the floor, his eyes fell upon Skipper who had just barely climbed into his bunk, facing the wall. Kowalski took a deep breath then approached the lead penguin, slowly, trying not to startle him. " Skipper," Kowalski murmured. Skipper sniffed then scoffed.
" What do you want," he grumbled.
" I wanted to say that I'm sorry," Kowalski half-whispered.
" Sorry," Skipper snapped as he faced Kowalski, glaring at him. " I get a date with Marlene then you steal her from me and say that you're sorry? Apology not accepted."
" Skipper, it wasn't my fault," Kowalski howled. " Besides, Marlene was the one who kissed me. I had nothing to do with it."
" She kissed you," Skipper bellowed as he raised an eyebrow. " Like I'd believe that for the faintest second."
" But it's true," Kowalski hollered then paused. " Look, if you don't believe me, ask Marlene, yourself."
"You'll never understand!" Skipper shouted, pulling Kowalski's face right in front of his, centimeters part. "You'll never get out of this little world where it's all Marlene's fault. Yes she played with my emotions and yes I believe she should burn in hell for that, but I love her too and I could never be as angry with her as I am with you. I really don't think you truly love her, because of how you can just blame it all on her. I would blame it on myself if I was in you're position. I think I love her more than you do, enough to let her go. But what am I? Another bump in the road. Nothing important. You'll never understand how much you two have hurt me emotionally. I'm scarred. Now leave me alone!"
Kowalski fell back in shock as Skipper relased him. The leader turned over in his bed and began whimpering pitfully. Kowalski wanted to comfort him. But he was too full of shame and sorrow to do it. He turned to see Private. Private was looking at him like he was some kind of killer. Which he realized he was. He had destroyed something in Skipper. Something rereplacable. And that was truly worth going to hell.