Hi everybody, 611 – L here. I just wanna say thanks to buttercup, Fox 2314, Layra, and Jet Engine (Especially Jet Engine) for reviewing! Now, here's what you've been waiting for!

CHAPTER 4 IS HERE! READ ON!

How It All Began

Chapter 4: Hans the Puffin

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Cody screamed, closing his eyes tight.

Suddenly they heard a noise coming from behind the leopard seals.

The leopard seals turned and got hit in the face with a mighty kick. Johnathan moved a little forward to see their hero. It was a young puffin! The he fought as if he had fought his whole life, Cody and Johnathan watched as the seven pups surrounded him.

The pups lunged at him, while the young puffin jumped up high and landed on the heads of two pups that soon became unconscious. He then jumped in front of the crack, still facing the pups.

The five remaining leopard seals nudged the unconscious two until they regained consciousness then slid away. The puffin turned to the crack. Johnathan could see a little more of him now, he had ruffled wing feathers, and a yellow-orange and purple beak and brown eyes.

"It is da safe now, birdies!" The puffin called in a Danish accent. Cody and Johnathan squeezed out of the crack.

Johnathan got up and said, "Thank you, um…"

"Hans. You can call me Hans." The puffin said.

"Thank you Hans." Johnathan repeated.

Cody got up. "Johnathan, analysis."

"He is a Fratercula Arctica or… Puffin... His name is Hans and he just saved our life." Johnathan replied.

"It is… uh… nice to meet you penguins." Hans said, looking at Cody.

"Well, it's nice to meet you too, Hans. I'm Cody and this is my partner, Johnathan." Cody explained.

"Pahtners!?" Hans said, a look of excitement showed on his face. "Ooh! Can I be pahtners wid you too?"

Johnathan looked at Cody expectantly. Cody took a step near Hans. "Hans, we're heading back home now… and you should head to your home now. So…" He said.

Hans' smile turned into a frown. He was clearly disappointed. "I am lost." Hans said, "I just saw dose silly-vhilly leopard seals here trying to get into a crack, den I heard a scream from dee inside. It kind of sounded like a penguin so I came to dee rescue."

Cody huddled with Johnathan. "So, what do you think?" he asked. "We should probably let him come with us. When we get back, we can ask Buck to bring him to wherever he is from then he'll be out of our feathers forever. Plus, with him on our side on the way back, he can fight off leopard seals!" Johnathan suggested. "Sounds like a plan." Cody stated before approaching Hans again. "Okay, Hans. You can come with us. Just don't mess things up, okay?" Cody told him.

"Why yes! Of course! I don't mess things up… unless you vhant me to." Hans said. Putting a flipper around Cody. "Ooh! Zis is going to be great! Vhe're gonna be da best of friends!"

"Friends?" Cody exclaimed, "Woah, woah, woah! I never said anything about being frie-OOF!" Cody was stopped when Johnathan hit his stomach with his elbow.

"Well? Vhat are we waiting for? Let's get a-moving!" Hans said, walking forward. After a few minutes of belly-sliding, Hans ran up to Cody. "So, vhat were you doing in da leopard seal territory?" "Leopard seal territory?" Johnathan asked from behind them.

"Yes. You see, I vhas born here in zis Antarctica place, but mama told me dat we come from dee place called Denmark. She also told me never to go to da leopard seal territory because of da stories about da penguins dat got eaten der." Hans explained. "But I am not a penguin. So vhy should I be scared? Den I waited for mama to be asleep so dat I can sneak out to da leopard seal territory and den I found you two."

The trio passed through rocks that Cody and Johnathan took refuge in. "My backpack!" Johnathan exclaimed, reaching for the small bag. He put the map inside and checked his supplies. "Ooh, do you have da fishy snacks in dat bag?" Hans asked. Johnathan nodded and threw a tooth fish at Hans. Hans jumped up and caught it with his big beak and swallowed. Then he noticed Cody's bandages. "Err… Cody, Vhat has happened to you?" He asked Cody.

"What?" Cody said, distracted. "Oh… That… Um… An Icicle just scratched me underwater. That's all."

"Oh, but you're alright now?" Hans checked.

"Yeah. It's fine now." Cody replied. "Why do you care? You're a puffin. And I'm a penguin. Totally different species. Why care for somebody very different?"

"I don't actually know why I care. I just do. And mama always says that other people are important too." Hans answered with a smile on his face.

Johnathan slid beside Cody and said, "Cody, all my supplies are complete."

Cody didn't seem to hear him. "You know, Hans, you should hang in my place sometime." He said.

"Really? Dat would be great, Cody!" Hans stated, delighted.

"Cody, all my supplies are…" Johnathan reported.

"We could play games! And have dinner together. You should try a kipper with me. It's delicious!" Cody exclaimed.

"Cody! I'm trying to…"

"That would vhonderful! Just us, palsy-walsies! Dat would be something special!" Hans replied.

"But… How about me?"

"Oh yes it will!" Cody said. "But only if she allows. In order for her to approve, I'm gonna do her…"

"CODY!" Johnathan shouted. Hans and Cody looked at him. "What is it, Johnathan?" Cody asked. Johnathan felt embarrassed for shouting so loud. "Never mind." He stammered.

Cody cocked his brow. "You sure you don't wanna talk about it?"

"Positive." Johnathan said.

"Okay then." Cody stated before turning to face Hans. "Anyways… I'm gonna do her a huge favor. I'll…"

Johnathan didn't listen to the rest of what Cody said. He was too upset. Suddenly, he heard voices ahead. He wanted to warn Cody, but he knew he wouldn't listen.

Johnathan belly-slid ahead and followed the sound of the voices. He recognized them immediately. It was Buck Rockgut and Nigel Buckingham! He got up and waddled toward them. Johnathan noticed two other penguins waddling behind them. It was his mother! And Miss Silvia! "Mother! Mother, It's me! Johnathan!" he said, waving his flippers in the air.

"Johnathan? Oh, Johnathan! I've been worried sick! Where were you?" said Angelica.

"Where's Cody?" Silvia asked.

"Over here ma." Cody stated from afar.

"Cody? Cody!" Silvia said, running towards him.

Hans stepped aside as the mother and son cuddled each other. "M… mother, this is Hans. We met him when we were… um… playing" Cody told his mother.

"Oh really? Well it's nice to meet you, Hans… the… Puffin…" Silvia greeted, shaking Hans' flipper.

"It is nice to meet you too." Hans said.

"Well, I'm glad the search is over then," Nigel said, crossing his flippers. "We've been looking all over for you folks ever since the lunch time bell rang."

"We were a bit confused. If you cupcakes stayed near the HQ, then you would have heard the bell." Buck stated.

Cody and Johnson exchanged a look and smiled at their mothers. "Um… I guess we were having so much fun that we didn't hear anything else. Right, Johnathan?" Cody said, still grinning.

"Yes… Precisely! So… much… fun…" Johnathan stated.

Silvia cocked her brow. "Okay then… I know that we should be heading to our homes now. But, Angelica, the dinner you gave us was so delicious that I had to return the favor. I'm inviting you and Johnathan to dinner tonight. You too, Buck, Nigel. Nigel, you can invite your sister, Eloise. I'm sure we will have a delightful time." Silvia glanced at Hans. He was sitting on a snow pile, sighing. "You too, Hans. I had enough time to catch more than enough fish." She told him. Hans' face lit up with happiness. Silvia smiled at him before turning back to the others.

"Well, that sounds like a good meal." Buck said, rubbing his belly.

"Yes. I'm coming. And I'm bringing Eloise." Nigel announced.

"I guess we'll get that bonding time after all, Hans." Cody told Hans.

"Hooray for palsy-walsies!" Hans said, hugging Cody.

Johnathan sighed and frowned. Then he started thinking. Cody won't listen to me anymore… Wait a minute… am I… jealous? No… I'm not… wait… I think I am jealous. Well, I'll take care of this now. I'll just ask him to let me join their bonding. I won't wait like a stubborn brat. He thought.

Johnathan approached Cody and Hans. "Cody?" he said. "Yes, Johnathan?" Cody replied.

"Can…. Can I join your b…bonding?" Johnathan asked him. "Sure. What do you think, Hans?" Cody asked his partner. "I guess it is alright. Vhe could use another game playah, right, Cody?" Hans stated. "Affirmative!" Cody answered. Johnathan smiled at them.

…

Soon, they were in Cody's big room, which was his home. Nigel had left to fetch his sister while Buck came with them. "Follow me, Hans! I've got something to show ya!" Cody shrieked, running with Hans to his bedroom. Johnathan followed slowly so he was able to hear Silvia's conversation with Buck.

"I don't think they're ready, Buck. They're still little kids!" Silvia whined.

"Kids that grow, Silvia. Those cupcakes went all the way to the Puffin Place! Don't you think they're fit enough? We can even start with those beginner stuff like some simple Flipkwando moves. No dangerous missions."

"Alright then. If you're sure, I'll talk to them."

"Oh, I am sure. Those cupcakes make a great team."

Johnathan hurried to tell Cody about what he just heard. When he got in the bedroom, Cody approached him and said, "Hey, Johnnyboy, can we borrow the map?"

"It's Johnathan… and… what for?" he asked.

"Hans would like to see it. Don't ask me. I have no idea why." Cody explained.

Johnathan got the map from his bag and placed it on a table near Hans. Hans tapped his beak while examining the map. Then finally, he said, "My flight must be…" They were interrupted by a knock in the door. "Cody, may I come in?" a voice said.

"Sure ma." Cody called.

Silvia stepped in the room and motioned the kids to sit with her in the bed. When all the kids sat down, she said, "Cody, I know what you did a while ago."

Cody blushed. "You do?" he asked.

Silvia nodded and turned to Johnathan. "You two went far away from the HQ, didn't you?"

"Yes… we're sorry." Johnathan replied.

"We're sorry we went to the leopard seal territories." Cody said.

"The leopard seal territories? That was not what I thought. I thought you went to the Puffin Place. I f…figured that's where you met Hans." Silvia said, frustrated. "But since you went to the leopard seal territories, I am very surprised. Why did you go there?"

"Dey did not know about da leopard seal territories." Hans tried to explain.

"Yes, Hans is right. We figured it was just an uncharted land." Cody stated.

"Hans, how did you get to the leopard seal territories?" Silvia asked Hans.

"I… I snuck out of my home and found dem cornered by some leopard seal pups." Hans said.

"Cornered!?" Silvia exclaimed. "What happened next?"

"Hans came and saved us!" Cody answered.

"Saved you? How?"

"He attacked them! He was magnificent!" Johnathan complimented.

Hans blushed. "It was nothing really." He said.

Silvia stood up and faced the three boys. "You disobeyed me. I told you to stay near the HQ, Cody. And Johnathan, I thought you knew better than to rush off into danger like that!"

"But Miss Silvia, I tried to…" Johnathan interrupted.

"Shush! No excuses. Since both you went to the leopard seal territories, you will both share in the punishment."

Johnathan and Cody looked at their feet.

"You will spend the whole tomorrow…"

They braced themselves.

"…Training with Buck Rockgut"

The two boys looked up and exchanged a look of confusion. "Huh?" they said in chorus.

"That's what I said. Training. You both showed great courage and you need to exercise that." Silvia said, then turned to Hans. "And as for you, Hans, you need to get back home tomorrow morning. Okay?"

"Okay." Hans replied.

"We're here!" Nigel called from the outside.

"Nigel's here! C'mon kids, it is now time for dinner." Silvia reported.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Penny for your thoughts?

I need at least 5 reviews to tell me I should continue! Haha! I'm waiting!

REVIEW!