Hello! Nice to…yeah…. Oh! Nice of you to read a new chapter of mine! Glad to see your back for the 4th chapter of BRAINS! As always, I'm happy you're here to read about young, but awesome, penguin commandos in the making. Oh and by the way, I hope you've had a very merry Christmas!
The next couple of weeks passed slowly and uneventfully, yet none of the penguins were complaining about the inactivity. Instead, they were enjoying the company of each other; everyone getting used to the fact Rico was injured and needed to rest as much as possible. Kate had applied for a break at the Labs and had gotten it in a matter of seconds when they heard about Rico.
"SARGE!" Rico, Skipper, and Kowalski yelled as the aforementioned penguin shuffled into view with a big grin on his face.
"Hello boys, what we up to?" questioned the sergeant as he waddled to the trio sitting in the snow building super small igloos for the 5th time today. Frankly, Sarge was quite bored.
"Not much Sarge, kinda boring. No action or adventures." Skipper replied dolefully.
"Well, we all can't hog the adventures and actions now can we?" Sarge said with a light-hearted chuckle, thinking of his own predicament. "Besides, we all need a rest once in a while."
"Isn't it Flighting Flipper Training Day again today, Sarge?" Kowalski asked staring at him inquisitively.
"Yep, but I'm on a month worth of holiday. You see the Flippers have a pattern only ten active commando penguins at a time. Believe it or not, there are more than just the ten of us scattered around the colony, roughly about thirty-five of us in total." He said as he plonked down in the snow and leaned back like he was on a deck chair for emphasis.
"Aw'ome!" Rico said throwing his flippers in the air. "Pla-y w-ith us? Pl-ea-sse?"
"Sure thing Rico! I'd love to play with you all. We could go on an awesome adventure!" Sarge replied enthusiastically.
"Eh, but aren't you going to be unfit at the end of your holiday?" Skipper asked with a grin; knowing how important fitness is to commandos.
"Well, you see, there is a group that takes care of that. The Flippers are the best of the best; but there are other commando groups too. All that happens is we get bumped down the ladder for a while, cause we all need a bit of a break from all that hard work. It's only temporary and we are only off duty, even though we can spring into action at any second. So at the moment I'm in a commando unit called the Reserves, they are other commandos that are not Flippers that are off duty too; pretty into working out. That's why I've got good muscles." Sarge explained while flexing his flippers to show them off.
"Oh…is it hard to stay fit?" Skipper interrogated, a bit jealous of the commando's muscles.
"Not really. It's harder to get fit that to stay fit." Sarge replied quietly laughing at Skipper's poorly hidden jealously. "If you want, I can train you guys during my break. It shouldn't be a problem since your parents removed you from your school. For…uh…yesterday's escapades and other reasons."
"How did you know about that?" Kowalski asked a bit embarrassed of his actions yesterday.
"Flippers know everything." Sarge said grinning. "You three gave us all a good laugh at the monthly meeting. General says you guys got talents, going up against the odds of five older penguins in hand-to-hand combat and still coming out on top. I'm really proud of you guys. Those boys needed a good lesson about not to bully and you sure gave it to them."
"Th'nks Sarge," Rico said, "N'ver bully gi-rls." The sergeant smiled, although Rico was a bit hard to understand he was understandable and quite clear in his speaking.
"That right! No girl will ever be bullied if we're around." Said Skipper leaping up and landing in a defensive stance.
"Well then, I'm glad my grandsons take after their dad." Said Grandma as she, Grandpa, Liam, Kate came waddling out of the igloo with large smiles.
"Yes, ma'am. The world needs more chivalrous gentlemen like the Captain." Said Sarge standing up and staring directly into her eyes with a mixture of respect and awe.
"Thank you Sarge. It means a lot." Liam said with a smile. "Oh, before I forget. Can I talk to you in private for a moment?" The pair waddled off to the side while the rest were chatting about how real gentlemen act.
"Sir?"
"In our recent meeting," Said Liam glancing back at his family. "We discussed about time limits, remember?"
"Yes Sir, I do." Sarge said an air of confidence.
"Good. The plan this afternoon is the whole family is going out for a waddle. If we're not back in…uh…three hours. Start worrying." The Captain said with a smirk, confident nothing was going to happen on his watch. "But don't send out an party until three and a half hours later."
"Yes, Sir. Enjoy your time out." Sarge said saluting smartly. After a couple of quick good-byes to the off duty commando, the penguins started on their leisurely waddle.
They all were thoroughly enjoying the cool wind rushing into their lungs as they chatted about random things that popped into their brains. After an half hour, boys wanted to do more that just waddling in the open.
"Can we go to the caves please, Dad? I really really want to explore the tunnels!" Skipper exclaimed, excited at the prospect of a slice of adventure.
"I see no trouble. Kate?" Liam replied ruffling the mow hawk on Rico's head.
"As long as we don't run into leopard seals." She jested with a smile. Kowalski and Rico grinned cheekily at Skipper who frowned back at them.
"Wow." Kowalski muttered under his breath. "This is just like Ice Caves." He said as gazed around the bluish walls. After exploring tunnel after tunnel, they came to a large chamber-like tunnel.
"Kowalski, Rico. Check this out." Skipper said as he stared at the ice hanging from the ceiling. The pair waddled over to their brother as the adults gazed around the other side of the tunnel. Everyone was being immersed in beauty of the breath-taking tunnels, always stepping in closer to check out anything that piqued his of her interest' which was mostly weirdly shaped ice.
"This place is beautiful." Said Grandpa with a sigh as Grandma gazed around at cracked floor, making it look like one oversized jigsaw puzzle. Catching sight of a hole in the wall close to the floor, Grandma quietly gasped as she saw a crack extending from the hole all the way across the ceiling. Dangerous, it could be quite deep but then again it could just be a scratch. Always better to be safe than sorry.
"Boys come here immediately!" she yelled, envisioning the roof collapsing on her grandsons. She knew she was the only one that could see the danger; after all, she was a builder. Just as the boys started to turn around, Grandma was sure she had seen the wall move in her peripheral vision. Motioning the to boys to come quickly, they all heard an audible cracking sound. The boys, instantly being frightened to their core, tried to hurry across to their parents and grandparents.
One moment the boys were staring anxiously into their parent's faces; the next, they were almost suffocating in a mountain of snow and ice. Partly overcoming the shock, Rico realised he was breathing normally again and he was just a bit behind Skipper and Kowalski who were deeper into the mini mountain than he was and had much more difficulties to breathe than him. Running purely on adrenaline and instincts, Rico managed to latch onto a flipper of each struggling penguin and with a super-penguin effort, he managed to propel them all out in reverse by kicking off a big ice block in the snow.
Unceremoniously landing on their backs, the boys panted heavily; trying to restore the lost oxygen. Hearing the muffled shouts of the adults, Kowalski was the first one to stand up and waddle to the one side of the solid wall where a deep crack had appeared. "This could end up being a good source of communication." Kowalski muttered as he tried to look through the crack.
"BOYS! Are you alright?" someone yelled from the other side of the barrier.
"Yes!" Kowalski yelled back through the crack. Another yell tried to make its way through the wall, but the boys couldn't understand it. "Can't hear you!" Kowalski yelled back hoping for another answer. By now, Skipper and Rico were both on their feet and standing off to the side of the barrier and more to the solid part where Kowalski was standing.
"We can't get through!" said the voice, by now they guessed the others had found the crack too.
"Boys listen to me." Immediately, the boys knew it was their commando dad talking. "We can't dig through the barrier. We will risk to many cave-ins. I'm sorry…. Remember, I'm proud of you boys. Today, you will have to band together to become a unit. You will have to get out of there by using your wits and skills. I have been training you all since you hatched and I know you can do it. Trust your instincts. Skipper you're the leader, take charge and look after your brothers. Kowalski, you're first lieutenant, your intelligent son. Believe in yourself. Rico, my boy, you're a sergeant; demolitions expert. Take care my boys."
"Stay safe." Kate yelled to her sons. "You can do it."
"You can do it boys. If there's a way, you'll find it." Grandpa shouted through the crack. The boys heard a soft scuffle through the crack.
"Finally, my turn! Take care team, remember what I taught you." Grandma yelled through the crack. "We're going to try and get out from our side. You need to try to get out from yours. We shouldn't be to far from the colony…. Your dad says you should try to get back to the colony and find Sarge." The boys gazed at each other as the sounds for their parents' and grandparents' footsteps died away.
"Well there's no use standing here." Skipper said in his best no-nonsense voice. "Kowalski, options!" Kowalski stared blankly at his brother.
"Umm…. we could…uh…look around to find a exit?"
"Yeah, okay we'll go with that. Oh Rico thanks for, you know, getting us out of there." Skipper said scratching his head with his flipper, very amused at his younger brother who was staring blankly at the roof. "Yo, Rico, don't space off would ya?"
"Heh?" Rico grunted as he returned to the present situation. "Sorry."
"No sweat. Let's check out this place." Skipper, Rico, and Kowalski all split up and started to look for any weak place in the wall. They all tapped here and there for 3 hours, until Kowalski decided it was enough.
"This is–" Kowalski said plopping down with a frown. "This is not working. We've been over these walls more that a thousand times, and nothing! We're trapped! We are trapped in a cave and there's no way out! Mum and Dad are probably at the colony by now."
"Yeah," agreed Rico taking a seat next to Kowalski. "Wh-at now Kipper?" Never missing a beat Skipper replied:
"We build an igloo to keep warm and we sleep on it. We can't think clearly on little sleep."
"Great. Lead the way oh great Skip, I'll follow." Kowalski said sarcastically, with a roll of his eyes.
"Mum, Dad, Grandma, and Grandpa won't be at the colony anytime soon, either Kowalski. That way is blocked too. I went down there first when we came in, and there was another barricade." said Skipper with a glare at the cave-in that separated them from their parents and the tunnel they came in by. "Okay let's start. Kowalski, Rico first we make rectangles in the snow. Remember, our snow blocks are there deep in the snow. You can't see them now, but they are there; all we have to do is find them."
After 2 hours the boys were tired but happy. "This finding-the-blocks-in-the-snow was harder than I expected." Said Kowalski as he crawled into the crude igloo. Rico grunted in agreement and he followed in the same manner.
"Better than my last time, Grandma." Skipper muttered under his breath as he gazed proudly at his temporary shelter. With a quick glance to hopefully spot an over-looked weak area, Skipper wondered what his parents and grandparents were doing. Diving into the igloo, Skipper grinned sheepishly at his brothers. "We'll be alright."
"Yeah. I mm gon'a s-sleee-p." Rico said as he tiredly rubbed his eyes and tried to find a comfy spot in the snow.
"Right. Night Rico." Kowalski said patting the already-sleeping penguin's flipper. "Skip? I'm scared."
"Yeah," Skipper said solemnly, "Me too… I'm hungry too."
Kowalski quietly laughed, careful not to wake Rico. "Funny that we didn't feel hungry while we worked. It was probably the whopping amount of adrenaline going crazy in our systems with the circumstance we're in. Hmm…if I can remember correctly, we're practically operating in a heightened sense. And maybe because we're not thinking on food."
"Speak for yourself Professor Loony Tunes." Skipper mumbled at he massaged his growling stomach. "I'm gonna sleep too. Good night."
"Night Skip." Kowalski said as he snuggled into the snow. Slowly closing his blue eyes, Kowalski waited patiently for a long time to drift to sleep. Just before he completely fell asleep, he had the sudden feeling he was falling and his body jerked him back to reality with a heartbeat that rang in his ears. "So much for sleep." He muttered as he quietly stood up and he shuffled to the entrance of the igloo.
"KO-WALSKI!?" Skipper yelled, making Kowalski almost jump out of his feathers. Spinning around Kowalski stared wide-eyed at Skipper, expecting his brother to demand where he was going. Taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart, Kowalski supressed a laugh as he gazed back at his brother who had just yelled in his sleep. Deciding to watch him a while longer, Kowalski quietly sat down. "Ice in igloos, man! If the squirrel gets the walnut it's all over. Over! You hear?!"
Kowalski let out an amused snort as he continued watching his older brother. " Where's the Colonel?" Kowalski grinned as he chose to humour him.
"What Colonel?"
"Colonel Pancake. I've found his blueberry." Skipper replied, speaking clearly with a large smile and eyes still closed. Kowalski held his stomach because it started to ache from laughter thanks Skipper's nonsense talk.
"Skipper. Skipper. Haha… Wake up, you are making me laugh to much." Kowalski tried to say as he was almost choking on his laughter. There were countless occasions that Kowalski would sit and listen to his brother speak clearly about the most random things and still be asleep; somehow, Kowalski had no doubt that this time it would be precisely the same as before. Kowalski gently shook Skipper's shoulder in an effort to get him to wake up. Getting no reaction, Kowalski stood up and continued on his way outside the igloo.
"We need to get out of here." Kowalski whispered to himself. "When the others wake up, we'll all be hungry. I just wish dad were here! He'd know what to do!" the penguin chick said exasperatedly. Snatching up some snow, he started to make a very solid and hard packed snowball. With a frustrated growl, Kowalski pitched the snowball with all his might against the wall opposite the barrier blocking their way. Watching the snowball shatter on impact, he frowned as he rubbed his tired, sapphire blue eyes. Crawling back to the igloo, Kowalski slouched back into his part of the snow.
"I don't care if the igloo falls on top of me now, I'm just gonna sleep. Too tired to care about anything else." Muttered Kowalski as he finally drifted of to sleep.
Meanwhile back at the outskirts colony, Sarge was at the brink of blowing his top; no rest was in sight for him. The others were gone for more than 5 hours and not a word was heard from their whereabouts. Yes, he was worried; sure Captain was great and all, but Sarge knew something was wrong, dead wrong.
"Great." Growled Sarge as he angrily kicked a pile of snow. He had just told his other reserve commandos, that Captain and his family were missing and their helpful response was 'Not our problem'. 'This isn't good. Cap and the others are in trouble; I just know it! Why do I have to be off-duty?!' Sarge mentally yelled.
"Ughhh…why do we have the stupid rule no off-duty Flipper can meet any other on-duty Flipper unless a on-duty higher up approaches the off-duty Flipper! You keep contradicting yourself! First off-duty officers and on-duty officer are not allowed to talk, the next sentence they are!" Sarge voiced his frustrations to no one in particular.
"You know–" Sarge spun around. "I've never seen you angry before." Said the newcomer with an amused look evident in hisunnatural green eyes. Sarge stared warily at the penguin who had his flippers clasped behind his back. "Oh come on Sarge!" yelled the penguin, unclasping his flippers waving them about in front of the commando's face.
"Hey Wally. You seem strangely, uh, normal." Sarge replied checking out the lanky penguin with a causal grin.
"Ahh that's where your wrong my friend!" Wally said with a crazy grin. "I am normal, my crazy side is just an act; but tell me why the angry face?" Sarge laughed at the adult penguin who reminded him so much of a chick. Sarge told Wally the whole story why he was so frustrated and worried; yet, much to the sergeant's dismay, Wally laughed out loud.
"What's so funny, Wally?" The confused penguin said, stating his thoughts.
"My oh my, Sarge. Have you seen 'em boys in action before? They can take care of themselves mighty fine. But if you're so desperate to find them, let's go talk to my dad. He'll be able to help." Wally said with a proud smile as he grabbed the sergeant's flipper and started to drag him to some unknown location.
"Your dad? He lives in this colony?" Sarge said with even more confusion clouding his face.
"Haha…you're a sport, Sarge. You know my father well." Wally said to the penguin, making Sarge even more confused.
"Yeah. Not well enough to know he has a son." Muttered Sarge.
"Huh?"
"Nothing." Sarge said with a chuckle as he was still being dragged along. "Nothing at all."
"Oh, good cause we're here." Wally said with a smile that seemed to light up his whole face. Waddling into a large unfamiliar igloo, Sarge felt his stomach tighten. "Hey dad. DAD!" Wally yelled while spinning around in a circle. "I bought a friend!"
"Wally. Hey son, who's your–" An all to familiar penguin waddled out to meet them. "Friend." The sergeant's eyes widened as he recognized the penguin in front of him. 'Not good. Not good. Not good.' Sarge mentally yelled at himself as he straightened up and preformed a sloppy salute.
"Sorry sir." Sarge said awkwardly as he still at attention.
"Sarge, is it so shocking to see me that you forget you don't salute indoors?" the penguin asked with a carefree laugh. Sarge sheepishly rubbed his head with a flipper as he returned an apologetic smile.
"Um…it is quite shocking General." Sarge said respectfully to his leader; while he still tried to wrap his head around that Wally was the General's son. Crazy guy's dad was the smartest guy in the colony, how ironic.
"Let me guess, your thinking how it's possible that Wally is my son. Right?" General interrogated with a grin. Sarge nodded while looking at Wally who was presently spinning around on his head. "Well, he takes more after his mother. It's a long story. But why are you here?" Sarge turned giving his CO his full attention.
"Captain and his family are missing. The Captain gave me orders that he would only be away 3 hours and only a half an hour after that time I should organize a search party."
"Yet it is 2 hours after the given time." General said immediately catching on to the agreement between the two Flippers. "Wally stay here. Sarge follow me."
"Reserves leaders wouldn't let me go, they said I was out of shape and when I told them about the Cap they said it wasn't their problem."
"Reserves." The General growled. "They never like us, especially when Cap blew the whistle on their slack training regime. Bunch of lazy, good-for-nothings." Waddling out of the igloo, Sarge and General started to slide. General took the lead and sild to the Fighting Flipper meeting cave. Leaping to their feet, Sarge asked the General:
"Sir? I can't go in there, I'm off duty, that is going against the rules."
"Son, if Cap, my second-in-command, talked to you about the time limit, he trusted you. If he trusts you, I do too. Therefore, we skip all the formalities and make you an honorary leader; we'll get that etched in ice when we get Cap and his family back." General replied causally as he stepped into the cave, immediately gaining all the attention of the Flippers inside.
"Come on, Sarge. We don't have all day." The General yelled back to Sarge who was still coming to terms with the honorary leader thing. Slipping inside, Sarge saw General giving him an encouraging nod. Taking a deep breath, Sarge said:
"Gentlemen, our good Captain and his family are missing for more than 5 hours. Time to go find them."
AND CUT! Okay we're good. That was one big chapter to write out. On that subject, between how many words do you like in a chapter? I personally prefer between 3000-5500, but that's just me. What did you think? I hope you have a awesome New Year friends! :)