The Commando Penguin and the Hazel-Eyed Otter
A Penguins of Madagascar fanfic by Miscellaneous Thief
A/N: So, this is my first fanfic without Aly and Mary since Halloween! It felt kind of weird writing without them in the story. This was supposed to come out on Valentine's Day, but for some strange reason Fanfiction hasn't let me log in all week. This fic is largely based on my favorite poem called 'The Highwayman' written by Alfred Noyes and also sung by Loreena McKennitt. Also, I'm experimenting with writing in in a narrative tone instead of my usual first person, so please let me know how it turns out. And finally, this fic takes place mostly in the past, but it starts out in the future.
Disclaimer- I don't own Pom. Or The Highwayman. Or Alfred Noyes. Or Loreena Mckennitt. But I do own her cd which features the song.
The scene opens up to seemingly normal evening at Central Park Zoo: the zoo was closed, the gates were locked shut, King Julien was dancing obnoxiously, and the sound of training could be heard at the penguin habitat.
Now one who was familiar the penguins would assume that the penguin would be Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, and Private, but they were not. In fact, only Private- a much older Private, that is- was still there, and he was leading three new recruits in the training.
"... Side kick! Three-quartah spin! Front kick and dive!" Private drilled, finishing up that day's work.
"Alright boys, let's stop for the day. Great job learning those new moves, that's a new record!" He praised.
"Does that mean...?" Asked Shelby, one of the newest, and youngest of the recruits.
Private had always liked Shelby from the start. His eagerness and naivety constantly reminded Private of himself before 'it' happened. Now Private was older, and more mature. Now Skipper, Kowalski, and Rico were long gone and Private had taken over Skipper's place on the team, becoming the 'skipper' himself. Of course, Private was no Skipper, even after all these years he still maintained that soft heart that caused him to go a little easier on his troops than Skipper ever had with him.
Private didn't always agree with the way Skipper had run things, so some changes had been made. One of the changes had been no longer counting snow-cones as a reward (the vendors had eventually caught on to them and it became to risky to do on a regular basis), but instead they would all sit around the table and listen to Private tell adventure stories, usually about 'The Commando Penguin', for Private had found that he was quite good at story telling.
And his team always looked forward to it.
"Yep." Private confirmed, answering Shelby's question "Meet me in HQ in five ticks of the clock."
"Sir, yes, sir!" All three recruits eagerly said together.
"Race ya there!" Challenged Kyler, the second and craziest of the bunch. His hyper attitude and natural attraction to trouble had a similarity to Rico, minus the 'trigger-happy' obsession, Private mused.
And finally there was Wade, the oldest and Private's second in command. He was the gadget guy, always tinkering with some kind of small machine in his flippers and constantly trying to 'build a better mouse trap'. If anything, Private thought, he was most like Kowalski.
"Nah-ah, I will so beat you there!" Wade replied competitively.
Before Private could even blink, the three boys had lunged for the fish bowl and were now wrestling to see who could could get in first.
Well, they certainly aren't the old team, Private thought to himself, I miss them a lot.
A few seconds later, Shelby managed to squeeze past Kyler and Wade and ran inside. Seeing this, the two other boys stopped wrestling and rushed inside after him, leaving only Private up-top.
Private stood there for a moment chuckling and shaking his head in amusement. Yep, defiantly not the old team. He waited there a moment more drowning in past memories before he himself went inside.
There he found the boys sitting at the table, picking on each other. As soon as they realized Private was watching them, however, they instantly settled down and straightened up. They didn't want to run the risk of getting in trouble and then not getting their reward.
"Are you all ready?" Private asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yes!" The three exclaimed as one.
Private sat down in his chair at the foot of the table, grinning at his team's enthusiasm. "What kind of story do you want to hear?"
"The Commando Penguin!" Suggested Wade.
"Whatever happened to him?" Shelby questioned.
"You want me to tell you what happened to The Commando Penguin?" Private asked, once again knowing the answer.
Wade, Kyler, and Shelby nodded eagerly.
"Well," Private began "He met a hazel-eyed otter."
(Flashback to Past)
It began on warm summer's night, when the the moon was at it's highest, the wind was blowing just right, and the clouds were like silver lining scattered across the starry roof.
This is what Marlene thought as she strolled through the sleeping Central Park. Several years ago she had discovered on her own after some curious experimenting, that she was okay with going out into the open as long as it was at night. Something about the moon captivated her mind, preventing her from going feral. Or perhaps it was the quiet and calmness that kept her wild side silent. Or maybe it was because the darkness kept her from seeing very far, so she tricked herself into thinking she wasn't out in the open. Whatever the cause was, Marlene didn't really care. She just enjoyed every single moment of it.
She continued walking down the path she had made by walking this way so many times before. She was going to her favorite place- the special place she had discovered two years ago, the place she went to every time there was a full moon- Marlene was going to her rock.
It wasn't just any old rock, that she was certain of. No, this rock was in the middle of a moonlit clearing, guarded from the outside world by a forest of trees, and it was mostly flat on the top, creating the perfect place to lay and gaze at the occasional star that happened to break through the wall of lights the city created.
She only wished she could share with it somebody.
Marlene always had hope the somebody could be Skipper. Staring at the moon from her rock one night, sometime after Skipper had broken up with Kitka, she came upon the revelation that she loved him. A year had passed since then and she still hadn't had the courage to ask him out. Each night she wished on the same star, asking for the right moment to tell him, but each month was in vain. Besides, why would a paranoid commando penguin ever love a simple otter like herself?
(Flash-forward to the Present)
"So wait," Wade interrupted "The Commando Penguin's name is Skipper and The Hazel-eyed Otter is Marlene?"
"Mm-hmm." Private confirmed before turning back to the story.
(Past)
Anyway, Marlene's thoughts turned to Skipper, as it had several times in the past, while she finally reached her favorite rock. Her heart was longing for his, almost calling out for it. If only she had known that on this fateful night, her wish was about to come true, that his heart had heard her call.
She reached the clearing and went straight to her rock, drinking in the beauty of the night along the way. She had barely touched the rock, however, when a rustle in the bushes alerted her. Someone's coming! Not wanting anybody to find her there, least of all somebody she knew, she quickly dove into the nearest bush. She was going to hide there until whoever was coming left.
As the mysterious person drew nearer to the clearing, Marlene could swear she heard them whistling a soft tune. This confused her even more. Who could be just strolling causally around and whistling at this hour?
A few seconds later her mental question was answered as the stranger entered the clearing. Only this person was no stranger to Marlene. Skeptical to who it was, and not wanting him to see her if it was actually him, she remained hidden in the bushes.
But that plan failed when this person stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight. His features were all glowing, the very essence of him reflecting the shimmering moonlight, making him appear almost like an angel of the night. Unwittingly Marlene stepped back in shock, and alerted the him to her presence.
"Who's there!" He yelled at the bush as he spun around into a defensive position.
Marlene knew she was caught now. There was no escaping this person, especially with his lightning fast reflexes. Swallowing her pride, but not her nervousness, she slowly stepped into the moonlight.
The figure went slack-jawed and immediately dropped his pose the second he recognized her. Which amused Marlene because she had thought this person was impossible to shock.
"M-Marlene?" He asked in disbelief.
Marlene smiled at the ground, too shy to meet his blue eyes "Um... hi, Skipper."
They stood there for several moments is silence, before Marlene, who's curiosity was killing her, finally met his gaze.
Something special happened when their eyes met in that moonlit clearing. Some say that there are moments in life where time itself seems to slow down. When a million tings can happen in the space of a single moment. When your heart looks for itself and finds it beating inside another's. When you truly fall in love for the first time. For Marlene, this happened when she looked at Skipper.
What she saw in his eyes was his soul. She saw that this whole time Skipper had felt the same as her, that he had secretly loved her but didn't know how to admit it.
And for the next few hours, sharing the rock together, they poured their hearts out into each other. Now whether it was the compelling spell of the silver moonlight, or the magic of her wishing star, something changed in Marlene and Skipper that night as their two souls joined together as one, altering their lives forever.
(Present)
As Private paused in his his story, all three penguins protested.
"That can't be the end!" Kyler pouted.
"Sadly, it's not." Private replied.
"Why, what happens next?" Asked Shelby.
"The worst thing that could ever happen to two lovers." Private said solemnly.
"They broke up?" Wade guessed in alarm.
"No, worse." Private said, shaking is head sadly "War."
(Past)
The night grew on as the two lovers sat together, sharing their life stories with to each other. What they didn't know was that hidden high in the trees was a broken hearted Kitka, who had heard every word spoken and had been watching them the entire time.
You see, Kitka was still very much in love with Skipper. She had been holding on ever since their little fling two years ago, watching Skipper and, like Marlene, waiting for the chance for him to be hers. The worst part is that she had actually followed him that night with the intent of finally telling Skipper her feelings, but then he had to go and burn her by falling in love with some stupid otter!
As she sat silently crying in the tree-tops, something snapped in Kitka. Suddenly her heart turned into a black void equivalent to charcoal and hurt transformed to hate. Oh how she hated Skipper and Marlene! She hated Skipper for rejecting her, for leaving her behind dust, for breaking her heart, and she hated Marlene for stealing her love from her. She hated them so much that it was literally tearing her soul into shreds. She would do anything to get rid of the pain she was bearing. Then, as the unfortunate fates would have it, Kitka heard Skipper say-
"Marlene, as much as I hate to do this, there's something I have to go take care of. But, if you'll wait me, I promise to be back by seven hundred hours, or seven 'o clock in civilian time. And if, for whatever the cause, I'm not back by then, and I'm not back by noon, then look for me by the moonlight and I'll come no matter what." He promised.
Kitka didn't stick around for to hear Marlene's answer, though she could already guess what it was. Flying away into the moonlight, she formed a malicious plan. After overhearing Skipper's life story, she knew exactly who could rip their love apart.
Oh, Skipper would pay for his love!
Unknowingly Skipper left at the same time as Kitka, leaving Marlene all by herself. She sighed as she laid back down on the rock. Now all she had to do was wait.
And wait...
And wait...
And wait...
Marlene waited until eventually...
She fell asleep.
When she woke up again, it was was later in the afternoon. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten in almost a day. She wondered where Skipper was, and why he hadn't come yet. Then, as if answering her question, she heard a twig snap somewhere down the forest path. Thinking it was Skipper, and, wanting to surprise him, she hid in the bush again.
She closed her eyes and listened, waiting to hear him enter the clearing, then she would jump out.
There! She heard the nearby rustle of the last bush, then silence. He was here! Without taking a second to pause, Marlene jumped into the clearing.
"Skipper! I-" She exclaimed excitedly, but then the sight in front of her stopped her short.
It was not Skipper.
Instead, it was the red crustacean minions of a certain evil doctor, all of them armed with guns.
Before Marlene could even figure out what was happening, the lobsters knocked her to the ground. She hit her head on her rock and became completely disoriented as she focused all her attention on trying to not pass out. Taking advantage of her growing confusion, the lobster seized her up and dragged her to a tree at the end of the clearing where they tied her up. Then they placed a gag in her mouth so that she couldn't scream out for help.
Then she felt the icy barrel of what she knew could only be a gun as it was strategically placed so that she could not actually see the gun, but the lobster could pull the trigger on a moment's notice.
Marlene knew that she was trapped, that there was no way of her getting out of this alive, and she knew from what she heard the lobsters saying that there was no way Skipper was getting out of this alive either. She knew that Skipper would do anything to save her, even die.
For her, death was in every direction except one. One direction- the direction she faced- was complete hell for Marlene because that was the direction where Skipper would walk down the path of doom.
She resolved to be brave in the face of death, if nothing other than for Skipper. As she waited for the inevitable to come, she remembered Skipper saying-
"...Look for me by the moonlight, and I'll come no matter what."
She knew what she had to do.
Marlene started twisting her paws behind her, but the knots were too tight. She strained until her paws were wet with either sweat or blood. She stretched as the evening grew on, every hour passing by like a year. She twisted until, on the cold stroke of midnight, the tip of her paw touched it. Marlene could hardly believe her luck, the trigger was at least hers.
As the tip of her paw touched it, Marlene froze, too scared to move in case she lost it. Then, ever so carefully, she stood up straight again, looking ahead with dead eyes. She didn't want the lobsters to get suspicious. So she stood there with the barrel still pointed at her side as her heart beat for Skipper's survival.
It was then that Marlene heard the sound of someone coming through the path. Her heart beat increased as straightened up even more, listening. There it was again, the snap of a twig! She glanced anxiously at the lobsters. Had they heard? To her, it was as loud as thunder.
She heard Skipper come closer and closer. The noise had finally caught the attention of the lobsters, who were now watching the path like predators on prey. Her heart was beating like a drum now. All was silent except for the sound of him drawing closer to his death trap. Skipper couldn't wait to see Marlene.
Her eyes went wide for a second as Marlene drew in one last breath.
Time seemed to stop.
Then the tip of her paw, where she held the trigger, twitched the moonlight and the sound of a gunshot echoed throughout the park. Marlene had warned Skipper with her death.
Skipper turned to the west as soon as he heard the shot. He ran along the path until he stumbled into the clearing. The first thing he saw was Marlene's tearful eyes, sending out a silent 'I love you'.
Then he noticed the rest of her and almost fell back in disbelief. She was bound a gagged to a tree, and she was bleeding out of her side! The bullet had pierced her heart. Skipper watched in horror as Marlene, who had waited in the moonlight, and died in the darkness there.
Any bit of sanity Skipper had was lost then and there as he yelled in anguish to the sky. Then he fell back, his feathers stained in red, when the lobsters shot him down in the clearing. As he lay in a pool of his blood, he took one last look at Marlene before he shut his eyes for good.
And now, on warm summer's night, they say, when the the moon is at it's highest, the wind is blowing just right, and the clouds are like silver lining scattered across the starry roof a commando penguin is seen walking an old forest path, where he meets a hazel-eyed otter- Marlene, the hazel-eyed- waiting in a moonlit clearing atop a flattened rock.
(Present)
Silence rang through the HQ as Private finished his tale. If a pin were to drop in that moment it would surely sound like a clap of thunder. All three boys were awestruck.
"Whoa..." Said Kyler breaking the silence.
"That was just... whoa" Said Wade, not coming up with a better description.
"What happened after that? What about Kitka?" Shelby asked.
"Well Kitka was never seen again after that, apparently she couldn't bear the weight of what she had done, so she ran away to Alaska. Skipper's team, of course, went after Blowhole and his lobsters and killed them later that week. And they too eventually died off until only one member of the original penguin unit remained." Private said proudly.
"How do you know all these stories?" Wade asked.
Private smiled a little "Because I lived them."
"But that means..." Wade led off as his eyes widened in realization "You're the remaining member of the original penguin unit!"
"That is so cool!" Exclaimed Kyler.
Only Shelby was silent, hiding a small smile as if he'd known all along.
The End.
A/N: I actually cried twice while I made this, once while writing it in my notebook and then again when I typed it. This is the saddest story I've ever done. I think I'm obsessed with Marlene dieing for some odd reason, because every story I've written with Skilene in it she's died. Maybe I subconsciously hate her or something. Also, for who ever wants to know, Shelby, Kyler, and Wade are loosely based on the Chipmunks, which I do not own either. And if anyone wants to know what happened to Kowalski and Rico (as I did while this was being written), Rico literally went out with a bang, dieing when he got too close to one of his explosions and Kowalski died trying to take a water sample of (he didn't know it at the time) a river infested with flying piranhas.
Please review.