Marlene walks around Skipper as if she was familiarizing herself with him, "You're a penguin, right?" She asked.
Skipper nods silently in response. He feels his heart beating faster and faster, he never felt this nervousness since his first mission in Alaska. "Yes. My name's Skipper. It's nice to meet you, Marlene." Said Skipper with the feeling of his voice shaking.
The young otter giggles, "Skipper. Cute name." She said. After her last statement the silence grew awkward. Marlene wants to make her neighbor to notice her, and what better way to start up their friendship with a game. "Hey Skipper, do you know how to play tag?" Asked Marlene.
The last time Skipper played a game was back at the academy. The game that's teaches everyone quick thinking and strategy in a very fast pace, dodge ball. And Skipper was the best back then. With every game that he played he doesn't know how to play tag. "How do you play tag?" He asked.
"What's taking so long?" Asked Loryn. She was getting worried that Skipper hasn't reported back yet. "What if he got captured? What if he's taken back to Antarctica already?!" She grabs on to John's neck and not knowing that she's strangling him. "John! Please! Do something! Our baby's in trouble!"
John quickly backs away, escaping Loryn's grasp. "Okay, okay! Just calm down, Loryn." John then checks his environment and scans for any human in the area. "I want you to go inside and lock the hatch. Do not open it unless you hear my voice or Skipper's, got it?" She responds with a nod. Loryn looks one more time at her mate before closing the hatch. "Here I go." Whispered John to himself. He cautiously enters the dark otter habitat and never expected to hear laughter, "What the?" He slides deep inside the cave and cracks open a glow stick to see what was inside.
"Tag! You're it!" The young penguin shouted as he tries to catch the young otter.
The little otter then stops as she saw the adult penguin standing by her entrance. "Hello sir."
Skipper looks at the direction where Marlene was looking at and accidentally falls to the ground sending puffs of feathers in the air. "Dad? What are you doing here?" He asked.
John crosses his flippers and looks at Skipper with both eyes squinted. "Your mom sent me here to fetch you. You were supposed to report back immediately. What were you even doing?"
"Oops." Skipper stands up while looking down his feet. He forgot that he was suppose to report back. He felt so ashamed and sad. "Dad, I'm sorry."
John doesn't want to embarrass his son in front of another kid. He sighs and pats Skipper's head. "Let's talk about this later. First, do you kids want some cotton candy and snowcones?" John tries to smile at the young Skipper. He was a bit angry but only a bit, he can't stay angry at Skipper.
Marlene and Skipper looks at each other and nods, "Sure!" They both said in unison.
"But I'm gonna take the two of you back at the island first, got it?" He asked and the two responded with a nod. John brings both the younglings back to the penguin habitat.
As soon as they get there the first thing John did was to knock on the fish bowl entrance, "Who's out there? I have a gun and not afraid to use it on you!"
Marlene quickly hides behind Skipper while shivering, she's not used to seeing other animals but Loryn's words gave her chills down her spine. With that, Skipper chuckles and holds onto Marlene's paw. "There's nothing to be afraid, Marlene." He said with a warm and friendly smile.
John couldn't stop noticing the two kids until he speaks out so Loryn can hear him, "Loryn, it's me, John. Put away the gun and let us in, it's safe."
The hatch opens up and reveals Loryn holding a gun but she sets it down and hugs Skipper, "Please Skipper, don't make me worry about you ever again! All right?" She asked with some tears coming out of her eyes.
Skipper rubs the back of his neck feeling embarrassed, "Mom, can we dial this down 'cause..." He pauses and gulps, "I have a new friend and I don't feel like getting embarrass in front of her."
Loryn wipes away her tears and spots the otter behind Skipper. She quickly takes a deep breath and snaps back to reality. "Right. Uhm, hello there. I"m Loryn, Skipper's mother."
Marlene looks at Skipper one more time, he gives her a nod with a smile. She slowly steps away from Skipper's back, "I-I'm Marlene, ma'am." She said in a squeaky-nervous voice.
A smile spreads across Loryn's beak and pats Marlene's head, "Welcome to the Central Park Zoo, Marlene. I hope all of us will be great friends."
"Dear," called John, "What about you and Marlene have some girl time while Skipper and I go to the park to get some delicious snowcones and cotton candies. What do you say?"
Loryn looks up in the sky and tries to block the sun's raise with her flipper, "Sure, Marlene and I will stay inside while you two grab some snowcones and cotton candies."
He grabs on to the ladder's Skipper behind him, "Don't worry Loryn, we'll be back before you can say: shave ice!" Said John. He takes a peek over his shoulder to see Skipper, "Come on, kiddo! We can't let the ladies waiting!" He then rushes up the ladder and waits for his son.
"Yes dad!" Shouted Skipper. He looks one more time at Marlene and his mom before climbing up to follow his father.
Central Park, New York
1746 Hours (5:46 PM)
"Skipper," the young penguin turns to his father who looks like he's going to say something important, "I know that you and Marlene are growing close." He looks away and whispers,"even though you guys just met." He then continues his last statement, "But remember, we can't trust anyone out here. Heck, we don't even know if we can trust her."
Skipper nods, he still bears the scar the turned him into a criminal. He went blind that day, he didn't even know who he was killing anymore. He then sighs as he looks up to the sky, "I know, dad. But I don't think Marlene's like that, she's new and young." He pauses before continuing, "Like me. I think she wouldn't even understand the troubles we're in. The troubles I'm in."
John sighs. He couldn't argue with his son's judgment. Maybe he was being paranoid too much. "I know that son. I can't fight you when it comes to people. You have a talent for that, you always know who to trust in times of peace or war."
"But sometimes my gut tells the truth while my mind was being fooled." Said Skipper. He then remembers Hans' betrayal. The very thing that crushed his spirit. "I was fooled, dad. But that's not happening again. Not in this new life."
"Would you still protect them if you know them or not?" Asked John. He knows his boy to well, but will this question change Skipper's perspective and belief?
To Be Continued...
I apologize for the short chapter, but I hope you guys liked it though.
