Over France

The Super-Plane

(Skipper's POV)

Alex was jumping around the plane, "New York, New York it's a heck of a town," he sang. "The Bronx zoo up," Melmen sang. "But the Battery's down!" Gloria added. Marty just made random musical noises. "New York, New York it's a heck of a town!" "Kowalski, Status report!" I said as Kowalski looked down at his notes. "The Good news is this song is almost over," he replied. "Well, that's music to my ears," I said. "The bad news?" Elsa asked. "The gear assembly is badly damaged, sir." Kowalski replied as a gear flew off and hit Alex. "It's only a matter of time before…" The Super-plane stopped and then fall out of the sky.

As the plane nose-dived everyone screamed as I glared at Kowalski. The Plane landed in a train yard with a thud, "Why can't we ever just make a normal landing?" Melmen asked. "Oh, man!" Alex said. "Hold, on melmen," Gloria said, "I'll get you down, sweetie." "Where is he?" Mort asked, "Must find King Julian. King Julian!" Mort ran in the direction of julian but fell into a bin. Julian was now singing derliously, "It's getting hot in here so take off all your fur." I ignored the rest of Julian singing as he continued to walk on the telephone wires.

"Skipper, what about the plane?" Alex said. Didn't he ask me that question before? I'm not sure. "I predict about Six-TO-nine weeks," Kowalski replied. "The Chimps will work through the night," I said. "No breaks, no safety restrictions…" The Chimps who happened to be running away, "Hey, where are you going?" I asked, "Get back here!" "We have a contract!" Elsa shouted. "yes," Mason said, "Well, I'm afraid labor laws are slightly more lenient in france…You see, they only have to work two weeks a year." That's can't be right…how do they get anything done. "Well, someone else has the Canadian work ethic!" I said.

"But you penguins, you can still fix it, right? Right?" Melmen said. How can I put it lighty? "Yeah, yeah," Alex said, "You're a little crackerjack, can-do team." Well I prefer to call us the elitist of the elite but, "You want me to give it to you straight?" I asked. "Alex don't do it," elsa muttered. "Yes! Yes! No." Alex said, "bend it a little." I don't bend the truth alex, "Well, the plane's totaled," I said kicking some nuts and bolts to underline my pointed, "Kaput, blamo, busted! Never to fly again!" "Unless you want to wait Sixty Nine years," Kowalski added.

"So that's it? That's it then, we're never gonna get home?" Gloria asked. "Yep that's it," Elsa said. "No! We've got to get home!" Alex said, "We can fix it! We'll fix it!" What do you know about rebuilding a plane? "Yeah, guys come on, we'll fix it!" Alex shouted. Alex started to grab random parts and pieces, "You just start from the outside pieces, and you work your way in." Alex put on long piece of metal in the floor, "And, Yeah, Perfect!" Alex said, "Come on! Don't just stand there, guys. Marty! Drag that thingy over here. And we'll just attach it to this dealy-bob over here. And…" "Dealy-bob?" Kowalski said. And then a whole bunch of stuff fell over, "we're not going home. We're never going home."

Alex and company tried to comfort alex before sirens filled the air. The authoritys probably noticed the crash…a plane crashing the france is bound to be noticed. "It's the fuzz!" Marty asked. "Kowalski options," I asked. "Run," he replied. We all ran away from the plane as the police closed in. As we ran with the trains as cover, "we can't just blend! You know this ain't Africa." Gloria said.

"Oh, what's the point," Melmen asked, "Tell me one conceivable way that extra-large animals like us can move thru Europe without attracting attention." We wouldn't have this problem in the first place if you guys had just stayed in Africa and waited for us. The four of them then noticed the circus train next to us, "Hey…" Alex said. And then an angry Russian tiger appeared "Alex is in trouble," Elsa muttered. "Let's see how this plays out," I replied. "Where are you coming from?" he asked with a deep Russian accent. "Please, you got to hide us. Just until the heat dies down," Alex replied. "Absolut no outsiders," the tiger said, "So wipe that Smirnoff your face and Popov!"

"Did he seriously just pun?" Elsa asked. "Yes," I said, "it would appear so." "Come on, man," Alex said, "You gotta do one cat a solid. Cat to cat. Do a solid here, buddy. Come on." "Don't push it big-mouth cat," I whispered. "we're still waiting," Alex said. Elsa faceplamed. "Nyet!" the tiger shouted, "This train is for circus animals only!" "They sould like they be in trouble," an Italian accent said. "Stefano, We do not invite trouble into our circus," the tiger said, "I don't trust lion." Well neither did I russian cat. "Hair too big and glossy!" the tiger said, "Aw, come on, Vitaly, you're being mean," the voice I assumed to be Stefano said. "He's not lion," Vitaly (to finally give the tiger his name) insulted, "He's lioness..with a beehive."

"This is awkward," Alex said, "We can hear everything they're saying." The train whistle blew and the train started to roll forward as steam filled the air. "IT is not our problem," Vitaly said. Oh there going to be a problem when four blurs of black and white knock into you. "No, No! Wait, wait, wait!" Alex shouted. A seal appeared which I assumed to be Stefano, "Just give us a minute," he said, "He's on the phone and…can't get him off!" Vitaly pulled Stefano in and slammed the doors on his face, "We cannot leave them there!" Stefano shouted. "Only circus animals on this train!" Vitaly shouted.

Alex if you lie right now… "Wait, listen! WE are circus animals! You got to let us in!" Alex shouted. A female jaguar opened the door and Alex seemed quiet smitten with her. "You are really circus?" Gia said. Elsa opened her mouth to say something but I cut her off, "Don't blow our new cover," I whispered. On the other side of the train the next set of tracks over the police had their flashlights out. "Yes. Full circus!" Alex shouted. "Absolutely," Gloria said. "My momma was circus. My daddy was circus." Marty said. "Totally circus!" Alex said as the flashlights of the police got closer. "Gia!" Vitaly shouted, "Shut the door!"

"Please," Gloria said. "Over there! Over there!" the police shouted. "They are circus. Circus stick together!" Gia said. Vitaly sighed and rolled his eyes while Gia and Stefano helped Alex, Marty, melmen and Gloria aboard. The chimps jumped into the next train-car over while Alex pulled melmen in and shut the door right as the police shone their flashlights on the circus train. As the train steamed away the lemurs hopped on top of the train while we were in our trademark battle stance on top of the train.

(end of chapter Three)