PART ONE: Our little Private
"Move out, men! It's six thirty!"
Private let out a moan and rolled over in his bed sheets. Leaving his warm bed with last traces of sweet dreams floating up in the air was the last thing he felt like doing. But he had no choice. As soon as he heard Skipper's order, he tossed away his yellow blanket, stretched and hopped down on the ground. He staggered a little bit, still sleepy and dizzy. Skipper held him by arm to help him keep the balance.
"How was your sleep, Private?"
"I had a very nice dream, Skippa" muttered Private, rubbing his eyes, and trying to get rid of dizziness. "I was in the Land of Lunacorns with golden tails and forelocks. I was even riding one.. blue one.. and I was eating a strawberry snowcone at the same time".
"That was a very nice dream indeed" smiled Skipper against Rico's loud yawn. He patted Private on the back. "Go and have some coffee it will refresh you a little."
"Ayeaye, Skippa" said Private languidly and waddled up towards the table. Ten minutes later they were already practicing on the platform, Skipper crying out short sentences in his stern, decisive voice, the rest of the team repeating his moves with a slight delay… there were some colorful butterflies flying up in the air.. flowers at full blossom.. Frankie the Pigeon searching for some bread crumbs under the bench.. Marlene the Otter sitting on the top of her habitat's wall, looking at Skipper dreamingly. .. Everything around seemed so peaceful, calm and serene.
"Let's hope nothing spoils the day" thought Private, when the training was finally over. Alice came by, her face gloomy and weary as usual, and threw several fresh salmons to the fishbowl. Private gazed at his freshly served breakfast and spaced out for a while. All of a sudden, he started to grow more and more worried about his nearest future. How long are they meant to live together? Is there any possibility for their team to split up? Are they going to drift apart one day? Is Doctor Blowhole conspiring against them right now? What if he's planning another attack? He shivered violently .
A loud burst of happiness tore him away from his thoughts.
"Come on, Private, we're going to the park!" informed him Kowalski, while Rico was making a dance on the platform, expressing his immense joy in his specific language.
"That was a good one, Kowalski!" commented Skipper against Rico's horse giggling.
"Classic! Classic!" added Rico.
"Wazzup, Guys?" asked Private, waddling up towards the group and eyeing each one of the penguins, childish curiosity written all over his face. He was busy watching two, blue butterflies chasing each other in the air, therefore he would constantly find himself falling behind.
All threesome went deadly serious again.
"Ehrm.. em… that's classified, Private" said Skipper.
"Was this some kind of a joke?"
"Yes indeed" said Skipper shortly, waddling jauntily along.
"Tell me what was it about!"
"Na-ah!" gurgled Rico, while Kowalski shook his head in protest.
"I'm afraid you will have to wait till your 18th birthday, Private" answered Skipper. "Some jokes aren't suitable for kids at your age."
Private balled his flippers into fists and sneered in anger.
"Dough!"
He could only catch the snatch of Kowalski's joke. All he managed to understand was "a beautiful lady penguin" and " a couch".
"Hey, guys, how about visiting that new Penguin Tavern they've build on the other side of the Park?" asked Skipper.
"That's a great idea! " nodded Kowalski. "I'm especially curious about the inner decor. It was supposed to be made in a late eighties style".
"Now, let's see what have we got here!" said Skipper, making himself comfortable on his seat and taking a brown menu card in his flippers. He carefully scanned the list, page after page, looking for something special. "Wo hooo!" he cried all of a sudden. "Raspberry flavored English beer!"
"What? Raspberry?" shrieked Kowalski in a high pitched voice and jumped on his chair.
"Raspberry!" hollered Rico, sticking his long, reddish tongue out of the left side of the beak.
"Our favorite flavor" smiled Skipper. He closed the menu card and placed it back in the middle of the table. "Ain't it just fantastic? That's what I call a nice beginning of the day! So, we already know what we want, right?"
"But what about Private?" asked Kowalski, pointing at the youngest soldier with his yellow pen. "Isn't he supposed to.."
"Ah, yes, you're right, I've forgot. We'll have to check something out for our little boy" agreed Skipper, before reaching back for the menu card.
"What do you mean, check something out? It has been already decided!" frowned Private.
"Seriously Private, do you really think we would let a minor taste some alcohol, that's out of the question. Not in our team" Mumbled Skipper, without moving his eyes from the menu list.
"Beer is not an alcohol!" argued Private, his cheeks blushing slightly under his feathers.
"You haven't turned eighteen yet, my boy. No alcohol for you" said Skipper.
"We aren't drinking martini, for God's sake! Or vodka! Or whisky! What can be possibly wrong with raspberry flavored beer? Why won't you let me have a chance? Just four small sips!"
"There it is!" cried Skipper triumphantly, ignoring Private's angry speculations.
"How can I help you?" a middle- height penguin waiter in a white apron waddled up towards their table, yellow notepad clutched under his left arm.
"Three paints of raspberry flavored beer and one glass of grape juice, please" answered Skipper before Private had a chance to cut in.
"Three times raspberry beer and one glass of grape juice" repeated the waiter fuzzily, scribbling something down on his notepad. "I'll be right there!" he said and waddled off towards the counter.
"Durrrrh!" snapped Private angrily.
„Awww, I've always wanted to try some real English Beer with raspberry flavor" confessed Kowalski, his voice trembling from excitement, when their drinks were finally served.
„Yap!" admitted Rico, before taking a long sip of beer through the straw.
"I never get to SEE anything, I never get to TASTE anything, Good Golly, It drives me off the deep end!" thought Private bitterly, and balled his flippers into fists under the table. A sudden wave of grudge and anger overtook his body. It was aimed particularly at Skipper. He was now bantering with Kowalski over some girlish stuff, bursting in laughter every once in a while. Rico didn't take part in the conversation – he was too busy enjoying his drink. Suddenly he moved his beak away from the straw, and waved his flippers in front of Skipper's face with an obvious attempt to catch his attention.
"What is it, Rico?" asked Skipper, watching over his colleague with astonishment.
"Allamana arbhahha?" asked Rico, pointing with his flipper at his favorite Dolly.
"Well I don't know, mate. It depends on how old she is" answered Skipper hesitatingly and took a quick glance at Kowalski.
"As far as I remember, we celebrated Dolly's eighteenth birthday two weeks ago" recalled Kowalski, before lurking down on his private notepad, just to make sure if he was right. "Yap!" he said. "That's right. "14th of July. Soooo, she's already an adult" he shut his notepad close and returned to his drink.
"If that's so.." said Skipper, smiling. "Hey, Rico! Your pretty, blonde girlfriend is therefore allowed to join us in our drinking party".
"Yaaaay!" applauded Rico joyfully and put the end of the straw against Dolly's grinning face.
"But be careful, man" warned Skipper, laughing heartedly. " We don't know how might she react after those several innocent sips. Just keep an eye on her!"
There was a loud burst of laughter coming from the next room.
Private turned his head and leaned slightly over his chair to take a look. The adjoining hall was even more crowded. There was a group of Adeli Penguins aged between 14-17. They were occupying a round table in the corner of the room. All of them had their feathers died on the top of their heads. The tallest of them, probably their leader, had a deep scar marking the left side of his beak, similar to Rico's one. They were acting quite loudly, discussing some matters, emphasizing their opinions with theatrical gestures. Private glanced at the glasses each one of them was holding. "Arctic Soda" the label said. "It must contain some alcohol." Thought Private. "I'm pretty sure of it".
"Private, don't swing on your chair" Skipper's stern voice jarred him away from his thoughts. "Sit still, If you don't want to end up with your beak crashed."
"Aye, Skippa" muttered Private, but in a less submissive tone than usual. On the contrary, there was a slight note of irritation in his voice. He took one more glance at the group and set back to his drink. He spotted a big, white tattoo decorating the shortest penguin's back. It had a fishbone shape.
"Pretty cool" he thought to himself while playing with his straw. "I wonder if it would fit me… but no" he shot a gloomy stare at Skipper. "There's no way Skipper would let me".
"How is she, Rico?" asked Skipper jokingly, pointing at Rico's dolly, lying motionless on the table. "Seems like she has enough already".
Private pulled his drink away and hopped down on the ground.
"And where are you going, soldier?"
"Got a call from nature" mumbled Private before leaving the room. As he passed the youth's table, he shivered violently. Just as if six pairs of eyes were piercing through his body and soul. As soon as he'd entered the platform , he caught their attention immediately. Private dropped his head, gulped loudly and continued his walk towards the bathroom door, making the most of himself not to make any eye contact with the group. For some reason they freaked him out.
"How are you doin, man?"
Private jumped up and turned his head back in surprise to face the one who talked him down. It was the leader of the group. His eyes were slightly foggy, spooky smile twisted his beak.
"Long time no see, Bart!"
"Nnno.. I guess it's a mistake.. I'm Private" muttered Private, blushing violently under his feathers.
"Oh, sorry" muttered the leader penguin and finished the rest of his drink with one gulp. "I took you for my old chum from New Jersey".
The group fell silent for a moment. Private dropped his head and started to dig the carpet with his foot, immensely restrained.
" I suppose he's our equal, isn't he?"
"Yeah, I guess so."
"Well, since we don't know each other yet" concluded the leader penguin. "I guess it would be nice to make a new acquaintanceship" He pulled out a vacant chair for Private to sit on.
Something deep down inside him told him that nothing good would come out of getting in touch with this company. "Drew back, Private. Drew back before it's too late". But Private quickly pushed this thought away. "Shut up! " he thought to himself. "One paranoid penguin in the team is enough! What could be possibly wrong with having a small chat?"
"Why won't you join us, mate?" asked the leader penguin, queer sparks glittering in his green eyes.
