The Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth: Manfredi and Johnson
1
"He'd never do it."
"He'll pick dare every time. He always picks dare."
"He doesn't want to reveal any penguin secrets. You know how paranoid he is."
Skipper was about to walk into the room, when he heard voices coming from inside. Conspiratorial whispers. He stopped, his flipper on the door handle.
"Forget it. Skipper's too afraid to pick truth."
He entered the room loudly, and all heads turned to look at him.
"What's going on in here? Marlene, lemurs, why are you in our headquarters?" he asked immediately.
"We're playing Truth or Dare," Private piped up, "we thought you'd get here soon, and it looks like we were right! Would you like to join in?"
"You know I'm always up for that." Skipper smirked, and sat down in the circle they had all formed. "Who's turn is it?"
"Mine! It is my turn because I am the most important," cried Julien, waving his arm in the air. "Now who should I be picking?" He jumped to his feet and stared at each participant intently. "I... Think... Skipper! I have been thinking up some really boss dares since the last time we played. You are going to be hating it! Okay, so first -"
"Don't you ask Truth or Dare?" squeaked Mort. Julien sent him an impatient look.
"Formalities, who cares? As the king, I can skip silly rules like that. I will ask it anyway though, to lead by example. So, Skipper: Truth or Dare?"
Skipper glanced around the circle. Nobody was paying much attention. Julien was picking a tick off the potted plant Marlene had insisted they keep. Kowalski was drinking a coffee. Rico was tending to his girlfriend. Well, this would make them stand to attention. He'd show them who was scared.
"I choose truth."
Kowalski spat out his coffee; Julien dropped the tick; Rico almost dropped Miss Perky; everybody stared at him in shock.
"Wait, hold on there. What?" Julien asked, taken aback.
"You heard me. I choose truth. Ask me a question."
"Uh... A question... A question... I, uh... What... Wh... Um..." A look of great concentration took over his countenance as he thought hard. Suddenly he was struck with inspiration. "Aha! I know! Who was, um -" he struggled to remember the names "- Manshady N. Jones?"
"What are you talking about?" Skipper asked.
"Do you mean Manfredi and Johnson?" Kowalski clarified.
"Perhaps," the lemur retorted, "do you?"
Kowalski sighed, and Skipper looked away from the group, down at his feet.
"Manfredi and Johnson... You really want to know who they were?" he asked.
"Uh, yes! Why else would I be asking? Enough of the stupid questions already." Julien huffed.
"You can always forfeit, Skipper..." Private mentioned quietly.
"No," Skipper said, "that's okay, Private. It's a story that needs to be told."
"But Skipper -"
"I know, Kowalski."
"Waaugh!"
"Yes, Rico, it was awful. But this time I'm going to tell the truth. The whole truth and nothing but the truth. I'm going to explain exactly what happened to Manfredi and Johnson."