Hey readers, thanks for clicking/tapping on my latest project! It's been in progress for a couple of months now so I hope all my hard work pays off XD. This is set in an AU world, so please do not be mad that I toss in a couple of OCs. Without further ado, the first chapter of BRAINS!
Antarctica is one jumbo-sized snow cone. Ice and snow slabs pave the rugged landscape like one gigantic, thick coat; dazzling yet overwhelming in a sense. Danger abounds in that wasteland. Even in the midst of extreme temperatures, there is life; untamed and ferocious life. From prowling polar bears to seals that torpedo under water to speeds up to 24 miles per hour, there is one type of specie that stands out from the rest. The penguins. These aquatic birds stick together through thick and thin, good times and bad. There is much to learn from these cute and cuddly bundles of joy.
A tall penguin chick was leaning back on a mound of snow as he thought about his future. He sighed as he lifted up his small flipper to catch a falling snowflake, which almost instantly melted on his flipper. Sighing again, he slowly curled the end of his flipper. Placing both his flippers on the 'snow log' he and his two brothers had built, he hoisted himself up onto the hard-packed snow. He gazed down at the log and started to doodle on it with the point of his flipper. Glancing back at the family igloo, he decided to try and replicate it, but before he could start, two black flippers gently pulled him backwards onto the log.
"Where's my black and white bowling-pin shaped penguin chick?" asked the owner of the flippers, a beautiful black and white female penguin, as her baby-blue eye bore into her son's sapphire ones.
"Hi mum." Answered the chick with a small cute smile.
"What are we doing, Kowalski? Pondering the future again are we?" she asked taking a seat next to him and delicately tracing the bridge of his beak with her flipper. Kowalski was silent, confirming his mother was correct. "How did you go at little flipper training today?" She questioned referring to a school-like programme teaching all penguin chicks between the ages of five and ten. They were taught a variety of skills that included flipper-and-eye coordination, snow art, and basic evasive manoeuvres that were especially handy in escaping their predators. Not to mention the two most important penguin career subjects, one being a mixture of science and maths and the other being physical training.
"Okay…I guess."
"But that's not what Skipper said." She answered in a matter-of-fact tone. Kowalski's eyes widened as he sat straight up in a flash. "Oh Kowalski-"
"Mum! I just can't remember a thing! It's in by the one earhole out by the other! I can't-can't do it. I'm not smart like other chicks that want to be penguin scientist and I'm not up to Skipper and Rico's standard of ph-physical fitness and strength, qualities needed to become penguin commandos. I look like a nerd! I just don't the smarts to back me up." Kowalski said as he dissolved into tears. The penguin chick scooted closer to his mother and buried his head into her feathers, tears started to wet her feathers.
"Kowalski," Kowalski turn to see her face, "you may not believe me but I was on the same ice floe you are when I was a girl. I was never the smartest or the strongest, no that-that was your father." She said with chuckle. "And now I am one of the leading penguin scientist in Penguin Labs. I was hard work, but I got there in the end." Kowalski watched his mum with wide eyes and an open beak.
"How-what is your secret?" He asked sitting up, full attention on her next words. She smiled as his eagerness.
"I learnt that-"
"SNOWBALL FIGHT! Yelled a shorter, flat-headed penguin chick with bright, sapphire blue eyes as he threw a snowball, aimed at Kowalski.
"Aaaahhh" was the yell from Kowalski when his back was hit with such force that he fell head first into the soft snow. "Owww….SKKIPER! YOU ARE GOING TO PAY!" he yelled as his little flippers went into overdrive to make snowballs as fast as possible for the inevitable war, under the protection of the snow log. "Oh hey dad!" he called to the tall, muscular, male penguin waddling over to his mum. The male penguin grinned as his sapphire blue eyes sparkled.
"Honey, shall we leave the kids to play while we go prepare dinner?" He asked with a charming smile as he held her flipper.
"I think we shall, dear." She said with a musical laugh as they waddled to the igloo. "Have fun you three, don't hurt each other." She warned.
"Yes Mum." Replied Skipper and Kowalski together. After their parent had gone into, Kowalski stood up from behind his protection to glance around in confusion to where his other brother could be.
"Hey Walski" Said Skipper. Kowalski gazed into Skipper's mischievous eyes as he rubbed the base of his neck sheepishly, a habit he had learned from his intelligent mother. Skipper broke his stare to look at a moving figure behind him. Kowalski turned around to see Rico slid down full speed towards him. Kowalski gave a high-pitched scream as he was bowled over and dragged in the snow toward a waiting Skipper.
"All r'ght!" exclaimed Rico as he threw his flippers in the air. Kowalski flashed a glare at both of them as he dusted the snow off his feathers in a very stiff and rough manner.
"Squealing like a girl, Kowalski, tsk tsk tsk I thought higher of you." Teased Skipper as he high-one-ed Rico with resounding smack.
"Hah…that was so funny I forgot to laugh." Was the sarcastic reply. Skipper grinned as he picked up a flipper-full of snow as shaped it into a ball.
"Yeah but you such remembered to squeal." Skipper said as Rico tried to supress a snicker. Kowalski couldn't help but grinned at the pair. Pretty soon they were engaged in a full-out snowball war with imaginary foes.
"Skipper! To your right!" yelled Kowalski in the midst of throwing a snowball. Skipper scooped up a flipper-full of snow, shaped, and threw it as quick as lightening to his right.
"Duck Walski" Rico shouted as he hurled the snowball at Kowalski. Instead of ducking immediately, Kowalski turned to Rico.
For the three penguins, time came to a complete halt. Looks of panic and worry flashed over the faces of Skipper and Rico as Kowalski's face was etched with complete fear. Gritting visibly his beak, Kowalski started to lean backwards. Instead of doing a backhand spring like he originally planned, he fell on his back with a thud, forcing out the air of his lungs. Trying to block out the pangs of pain running through his back with no avail, Kowalski gasped for breath.
"You alright, Walski?" Skipper asked as he rubbed Kowalski's back after he had hauled him up from the snow. The lanky penguin chick gave a small uncertain nod. Rico wrapped a strong flipper around Kowalski's waist, aiding him to stand up straight.
"Can we go-go in?" Kowalski questioned, still in shock and pain. Skipper nodded as they started to walk to the igloo.
As they entered, Kowalski immediately went to the small, clear, ice table. As he sat down he gave a heavy sigh, today was not his day. Skipper and Rico followed his example.
Their parents soon exited the kitchen area, each carrying an icy plater of fresh cod. Sitting down they started to eat their meal, Skipper and Rico explained what happened outside to Kowalski. If a penguin could blush, Kowalski would be as red as a tomato.
"Is your snowballs that hard, Rico?" their dad quipped with a large grin. Rico nodded his head vigorously. Everyone else at the table laughed merrily.
"He once smashed an adult leopard seal with one." Skipper said as he proudly looked at his younger brother. Everyone at the table froze. Kowalski and Rico stared with wide eyes and their parents glanced worriedly at each other. Skipper lowered his head, knowing he was guilty of slipping up.
"Boys," Their dad said slowly, "Is there something your not telling us? Like you went to the Ice Caves in the peak of leopard seal season without an adult penguin?" Their dad was smart, and knew he didn't need to beat around the bush to get an answer.
"Well Wally is technically an adult." Kowalski stated looking at his father hopefully.
"Wally's insane therefore he does not count." Their dad said bluntly. "Tell me what happened. The truth and nothing but the truth."
"Sure dad…uhhh Kowalski thanks for volunteering to tell dad what happened." Skipper said as he tried to escape confrontation.
"No you will, Skipper." Said his mother firmly as her baby blue eyes sparkled with an unreadable emotion.
"Uhh…. o-okay m-mum." Stuttered Skipper as he stared at his flippers that he was slowly twiddling.
Flashback
"Ice, ice, ice, ice, snow, ice, ice, water, ice." Muttered Kowalski as he struggled to keep up with us.
"Would you not?!" I yelled while glaring at him. I immediately felt guilty for yelling at him. Those pitiful eyes were almost too much to bear, so I turned away and kept waddling to the hill of ice jutting out from some hidden heart in the middle of this already-rugged terrain. Cold and heartless, I know.
"Sk-Skipper do-do you really think this is-is a good idea?" Kowalski whispered while he shivered. Rico rolled his eyes. Rico knew just as much as me that Kowalski was probably not the most nature-loving penguin out there.
"Ba-by." Teased Rico as he dropped to his stomach and started to slide towards the forbidden Ice Caves.
"Come on 'Walski we're burning daylight here!" I said grabbing his flipper. Naturally, he protested of being dragged along. By now, Rico was almost at the Ice Caves.
"We're not going to the Ice Caves are we?" my taller brother questioned. I turned around with a dangerous glint in my eye and large grin pasted on my face. "Oh no…leaving the security of home to venture into Leopard Seal territory? Ugh yeah….oh what do you know I left the oven on! I better go turn it off before it burns the house down…so uhh I'll just get going…bye." I smirked at my brother; there was no way he could escape with a lazy getaway like that.
"Kowalski…Penguins don't use ovens and we don't have a house, it's a igloo. Also there is no way that it can burn down, it can only melt."
"Bb-bbut but without any adults? That's blatantly disobeying mum and dad's orders!" he yelled, fear changing to anger. I shrugged; I mean what's life without a little danger?
"Fine." I groaned, "I asked Wally to meet us here. He's an adult." Kowalski was not fully convinced.
"He's crazy." He said as he folded his flippers.
"Hey! Just because you can't remember thing we don't call you brain-dead." I proclaimed Wally's defence.
"Okay as long as we're okay, I won't spill. I just want you to know I hate this idea." Kowalski said as he unfolded his flippers and started to slide towards Rico. I sighed heavily as he sped along the snow, phew that was close. Okay, I'll admit that I was seriously starting to have doubt about asking Wally along. After all, the rumours were that he was completely and utterly mental. Yet on the other flipper, I've heard rumours that pigs could fly. I still have to cross seeing them off my bucket-list. I shook my head clear of my thoughts and started to slide along the cold snow. Bringing my sliding to a halt, I saw my brothers and another lanky penguin.
" Yo, yo, yo! I had a pet iceberg that could move faster that you, Skipper." Said the lanky penguin as his almost-unnatural green eyes focused on me. To me, he looked sane enough. Hmm, maybe this guy wasn't so crazy after all. "He was the cutest little thing, but then he melted. Rest in Puddles, Summer." He said as his eyes started to harbour tears. Nope, he blew it. He was definitely insane; the rumours weren't over-exaggerated. I only wish that I had listened.
"Right can we get this over and done with? I really need to turn off that oven." Said Kowalski looking at me with an expression that clearly said 'Told you so!'
"Right!" I said clapping my flippers together. "Let's get inside the forbidden Ice Caves!"
"Oooo Spo'ky." Rico said snorting as he dove inside through a tunnel. Soon enough we all were inside the Ice Caves.
"This place is amazing." Kowalski exclaimed, gesturing to the sharp, icy crystals hanging from the cave's dome. Wally grinned at him, his green eyes sparkling with excitement. A nice lively change from the cold, bluish walls.
"Stalactites. Ice stalactites." Wally stated with a crazy grin. I returned my own signature smirk to the group who I was technically responsible for if anything went wrong. The others continued wandering in the cave as I glanced to the largest entrance. Something was not right; I could feel it in my gut. I knew something bad was going to happen. Maybe we shouldn't have wandered to far from the tunnel entrance/exit.
Luckily, I can honestly say that my gut has never disappointed me. I gaped at the seal that made himself home in the main area of the Ice Caves. It lifted its head from the white floor to sniff the air.
"Sk-Skipper." Kowalski whispered wrapping his flippers around his shivering body, he had obviously seen me gaping. His orbs were filled with fear and I knew my eyes were reflecting with the same emotion. Wally and Rico were staring at the leopard seal with wide eyes; curiosity also had gotten the better of them.
"Penguinsss." Hissed the leopard seal as he shifted his position. A shiver ran up my spine as he spoke. The seal slowly started to move towards us.
"Rico," I whispered to him. "Snowball defence?" He nodded and we both started to shape the balls. After I finished my snowballs in twenty seconds flat, I glanced at Rico who was finishing his last snowball, his tongue lolling out of his mouth and a determined look in his eyes. "Alright…here's the plan. Wally, Kowalski, its simple get outta here. Rico and me will hold him off by lobbing snowballs at him. Okay? NOW!" I yelled as I started to throw a snowball. Rico soon followed my lead.
Wally and Kowalski were hesitant of leaving us to fight the beast. "DON'T PLAY THE HERO! GET OUT OF HERE!" I bellowed. Fortunately, they snapped out of their trance and started to slide out of the cave, via the tunnel. I flung my last snowball without aim as I shot a glance at Rico who was on his last one too.
Rico curled the snowball in his flipper and cocked it. With a speed and fury that I am sure amazed both of us, the snowball flew out of his flipper and hit the seal right on the nose. Upon impact, the snowball disintegrated into a powder. Unfortunately for the seal, the powder invaded its nose and eyes. While it was struggling to shake the snow off, we dashed for it. Pretty soon all four of us were back on penguin territory, after sliding as fast as a team of bobsledders.
"If you kids every plan on doing that again, please invite me along again." Wally said as he slid off to an igloo in the distance with a crazy look in his bright eyes.
"Sure!" Rico yelled after him. I shook my head. There was no way that we were going to do that again soon.
"Okay team, we'll let this adventure slide to the hills. Nothing to no one. Comprende?" I said. "Mum and Dad will melt ice with their glares if they know what happened." They both nodded, inaudibly pledging their silence.
End of Flashback
Skipper felt everyone's gaze heavily resting upon him. Finally he worked up the confidence to look at his father. Surprisingly, his father was not melting ice with his glare; instead he was watching him with an almost-hidden expression of amusement. Glancing to his mother, he saw a visible knowing smile appear on her face.
"Runs in the family." Their father said with a chuckle. Their mother laughed as she playfully swatted his shoulder.
"Tell them dear. Tell them." She said, and started to laugh to some hidden joke. Their dad grinned and his sapphire eyes sparkled with humour.
"Along time ago, when we were chicks, we did a similar excursion to the heart of leopard seal territory." He said, gaining a distant look in his eyes.
"The adventure to Snow Ridge? That was you?" Kowalski asked in awe, his eyes as round as saucers. "That's a scene we have to draw in a snow-art class!"
"Yes, that is where your father saved my life. He threw away his tough cover and risked his own life." Their mother said as she snuggled up to her husband. Their dad placed his flipper on her shoulder and pecked her cheek.
"Ewww..." the boys chorused as they squirmed uncomfortably as they watched the pair. Their parents started to laugh at their uncomfortableness, their eyes sparkling with enjoyment. After their moment of fun, both parents stood up.
"Okay boys, time for bed." Their mother said as she took the icy platers to the kitchen area. The boys nodded as they set off an infectious yawning cycle, soon rubbing their tired eyes.
Soon Skipper and Rico where fast asleep, leaving Kowalski to stare at the roof of the igloo in silence. After a couple of minutes, Kowalski's eyes started to droop as every thought faded from his mind. However, a soft shuffle brought him back to the land of the living. Since faking to sleep seemed the best option at the time, Kowalski naturally took it. Relaxing his body, he took deep controlled breaths.
"Stop faking your sleep." The boys' father said. As walked over and sat down next to Kowalski.
"B-but we can't cross the river without pickles." Skipper moaned in his sleep. " That's like having snow…no tanks…" he continued to mumble.
Kowalski tried to keep a straight face in the dark, but since his stomach as was aching with all the laughter he was trying to smother. Blowing his cover, he let out a snort that changed into a choke and ended in a violent coughing fit.
"I knew you weren't asleep." He said with a gentle chuckle. "Does Skipper have a habit of talking nonsense in his sleep?" Kowalski nodded, even though he knew his father couldn't see him.
"Yes, Dad. It happens a lot of the time." They both fell into a deep silence; the only noise that could be heard was Rico's occasional snore.
"So…. Do you want to tell me what happened at little flipper training today?" His dad questioned, although it came out more like an order. Kowalski cringed as he remembered the hours before. "I'll tell you what. Tomorrow, when I have to go train with the penguin commandos, I want you to come watch again. After that, you and me will go for a waddle and then you can spill the beans before grandma and grandpa comes and visits us. How does that sound?"
"Sounds awesome, Dad. Thanks for being there for me." Kowalski muttered sleepily as he closed his eyes.
"Okay son, but now it is time to catch some Z's." Kowalski nodded and drifted off to sleep. His dad chuckled as he stood up and waddled to his room to surrender to a dreamless sleep.
Thanks for reading! Please let me know of your thoughts so far in a review. Till next time friends, have an awesome day!