Rico landed hard on the floor. He shook his head and stared up in minor surprise at the man that just hit him. He was big, muscly, had brown hair and eyes, and looked like your stereotypical thinks he's all that, fighter, complete with the name brand close, bought just to make him look like he had money. Rico looked over at the others, questioningly. He spotted Tina first, who seemed utterly terrified, and then Heather who appeared worried.

"I told you already, Erik, We're through. He wasn't even doing anything, just leave him alone." She said. Erik just looked at here an scowled.

"And I said we're not. You've got no say." he turned back to Rico. "Now answer the question, what are you doing with my girlfriend?" He growled. Rico looked at Skipper, and Skipper frowned, shrugging.

"You're call Rico, just don't permanently damage him." Skipper said. Rico grinned a maniacal look in his eyes. After all that pent up energy he just made he was going to enjoy this. In one swift movement, Rico shifted all his weight behind him and, using his hands, pushed himself up into the air, landing on his feet. He snapped back into his fighting pose.

"Bring it on!" He shouted. There was now a wide arch around the two. Erik gritted his teeth, wavering a moment, then lunged at Rico. Everyone but Kowalski, Private, and Skipper winced, waiting for impact. Of course it didn't come. Rico's arm shot out grabbing Erik's fist and, using his own momentum, twisted the guy's arm behind his back latching on to the other arm as well.

"What the-!" The guy jerked and struggled to get loose. Rico only laughed. "Vhat's wrong Erik, you act like you're such a strong guy. Never met someone who fights like a penguin have you!" he said grinning. Rico kicked him to the ground and set one foot on his back. Erik glared up at two other guys, one who looked like he had more muscle and sense than Erik, the other looking like an idiot. The two charged forward latching onto Rico's arms and throwing him over the bar.

"Hey!" Skipper shouting stepping forward.

"I'm on it!" Rico shouted from behind the counter. One of the men jerked up, looking like he had just seen Rico sprout a second head, when suddenly he was knocked in the ribs with a baseball bat. He fell, gasping for breath.

"Son of a-" Rico jumped up swinging at the second man, quite clearly dislocating a shoulder, knocking him to the ground. Rico laughed his voice deep and maniacal. Erik fell back, horrified, when Rico took a swing at him.

"Stand down Rico." Skipper said crossing his arms. "I think they've had enough." Rico's eyes met Erik's, and Rico grinned wide, seeing he had clearly done the job. Rico swung the bat over his shoulder and walked over to the others. Tina and Heather stared at him, wide eyed.

"Where on Earth did you get that bat?" Heather asked.

"Uh..." Rico trailed off.

"Classified." Skipper said.

Erik got shakily to his feet.

Rico looked around, trying to find a place to stow away his bat. Finding none, he simply hurled it away, hearing the faint sound of shattering glass moments later. Tina laughed.

"You guys are the strangest people I've ever met." She said, yet again laying her arm over Rico's shoulders. Rico grunted affirmatively.

"Yes, well what would the world be without crazy people like us?" Skipper said grinning smugly.

"A conformist existence, resulting in a planet controlled by a series of robotic, clone-like humans and animals which would eventually lead to-... Ah, never mind." Kowalski blushed, seeing everyone staring at him. Rico shrugged.

"Who knows, who cares, so long as ve're here. I just think- "

"Rico!" Private shouted.

Time seemed to move in slow motion. Rico turned to where Private and the others were staring, terrified. He was met with Erik, his arm well past halfway through a swing, a simple pocket knife in hand. Suddenly time sped up again. Rico felt a searing pain across his face and dropped to the ground, hands clutching the left side of his face.

"Ascanio Sobriero, my face is in pain!" Rico shouted. Erik lunged at Rico again, but before he could accomplish anything, Skipper ran up, wrapping his arm across Erik's chest, flinging him as high as he could, then in the same swift motion bringing his foot up and slamming it down on Erik's chest as he fell. He was out like a light. Skipper glared for a moment then whipped around to Rico, kneeling down beside him, and grabbing his shoulders.

"Rico. Rico, speak to me man!" Skipper said. Rico lay there quiet a moment, then slowly removed his hands from his face. The others gasped. There was a long gash across his face, leading from just above his left eyebrow, over the bridge of his nose, and ending just under his right eye.

Rico looked at his hands, shaking.

"I'm bleeding."

-RoaML-

Kowalski finished placing the bandage over the long gash in Rico's face, having just finished stitching it shut. They were currently in a car being driven by Heather, which they insisted was a bad place to hold a needle to someone's face though Skipper assured then that Kowalski was a well trained medic, apparently heading to Tina's place.

"Just about finished Rico." Kowalski said quietly, securing the bandage. Rico sighed and leaned back, grumbling, clearly unhappy about the ending of the night's events.

"Alright, we're here." Heather said, parking the car in front of an apartment complex. A small one at that, having three buildings, two of which were two story, the last only one. Tina and Heather got out of the front and snickered momentarily as the other four struggled to get out of their crammed positions in the back. Finally Tina opened the door and they tumbled out.

"So..." she started awkwardly. "Well, I feel bad about what happened tonight, and... you guys are new here and seem a bit lost... why don't you all stay over at my place. Heather's going to be here too, we already paid a sitter to watch her son until tomorrow morning." Tina said. Kowalski looked up.

"You... have a son?" Heather grinned sheepishly.

"Uh, yeah, single mom at thirty two... Ah, just the wrong guy I guess, whatcha gonna do...?" She said shrugging and turning away. Kowalski looked at her curiously, trying to figure out exactly how she was feeling. Emotions and women, something he was never good with.

"Come on," Tina said, not waiting for them to accept her invitation. "We've seriously got to tell this story to my upstairs neighbor." She said grinning, walking up the steps, the others following. She knocked on the upstairs door, calling out.

"Hey! Hey Alice!" Tina called. The four penguins slowly tensed.

"Skippah... you don't think..." Skipper frowned looking up to the sky. "In ALL of Manhattan, SURELY NOT-" The four cringed, when the familiar red head opened the door to the apartment. She froze and looked at the four.

"Woah... who's your friends?"