Me: Hi again, everybody. Taking some time out of private study to write this. Thank God my school has a library, huh? Anyway, last chapter I showed you a small snippet of Kowalski's mind, and the thoughts racing through at a billion miles a second. Poor Kowalski is becoming increasingly paranoid, and there appears to be a bigger mastermind at work here. Also, where was Julien in the last chapter?
*Far-away, muffled screams of terror*
Me: Um... Did everyone else hear that, too?
Skipper: Roger that,compadre.
Rico: Uh-huh.
Kowalski: Most definitively. I cannot be sure, but I believe it was Julien. Also, WHY AM I CRAZY IN THIS STORY!
Me: And you need to ask? Anyway, who is this mysterious overlord of evil? Hey, that's pretty good. Maybe I'll use that in one of my other stories. Still, getting back to the task at hand. I don't own the penguins, lemurs, otters, or anyone else in this story. I do own the rights to Sonic, but that's another story.(I don't really.) And now, to the story. Oh, and this is back in the third person.
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Private had managed to hide away in some kid's backpack, and was now on the subway to Coney Island(A/N: Don't know how you spell that, so I just went by what I heard.) Deciding it was time, and that he had travelled far enough in this bag that smelled like wet gym socks, Private unzipped the bag, padded out of it, and hid on one of the bars above the people's heads. Surprisingly, no-one noticed, and Private managed to get off the train at the right stop unimpeded. Sneaking into the shadows, his naturally dark fur blended in perfectly, and soon enough, he had snuck into Blowhole's base. Blowhole was nowhere to be seen, but Marlene was sat in front of a console, seemingly talking at length to an imaginary person.
Staying to the shadows, Private finally saw that Marlene was talking into a headset, and she kept referring to some person called 'The Master'. Deciding he had heard enough, Private raced towards Marlene, desperate to save her...
...And promptly got caught in a net. Blowhole must have left nets around Marlene, to prevent her from escaping or being rescued by someone. Marlene turned round to look at him, and the first Private noticed about was that her eyes seemed dull, like someone had breathed on two glass orbs, and then stuck them into Marlene's head. "She's been hypnotised" thought Private. Marlene smirked at the sight of him caught in the net.
"Lord Blowhole. We have an unidentified captive. It's an otter. Request orders."
"An otter? Not a penguin?"
"No, Lord Blowhole. Definitely an otter."
"Hmm... Wait there. I'm on my way down now."
And so Marlene ceased talking, and a stifling silence fell like a blanket, enveloping them. Finally working up the courage to do so, Private broke the silence.
"Marlene?"
Marlene immediately snapped her head round to the source of the noise, so fast that Private was scared it would snap in two.
"How do you know my code-name, otter?"
"Code-name! Marlene, this isn't who you are! It's just Blowhole manipulating you! Please, snap out of this!"
"I am not Marlene. My designation is Otter-1. I have always been Lord Blowhole's most faithful servant. I will continue to serve him faithfully."
Marlene spoke all this in the same dry monotone, just saying the lines as though someone had put them in her head- which, as Private knew only to well, someone had.
Private fidgeted nervously, trying to work out a way to save Marlene. She sounded like a robot- or worse still, a zombie. The thought of zombies brought to mind one night, three days after the incident with Kowalski and Private, when Marlene and Private were watching a horror movie. One of the zombies in the movie had suddenly lunged at the screen, and Marlene had jumped right into Private's arms. After that, the two of them decided it was best for Marlene's nerves if they didn't watch any more horror movies. Marlene hadn't been able to go to sleep that night, so Private brought over some blankets and pillows, and they had curled up on the sofa, and watched a couple of romantic movies instead of the horror movie. Secretly, Private wouldn't have minded watching another horror movie- he was used to horrifying things happening. But Marlene had been terrified, and so he had stepped over and changed the movie without objecting once. Though he didn't know it, that small action had earned him big points in Marlene's eyes.
But he didn't have anymore time to reminisce about the past- Blowhole had just arrived, with an escort of lobsters. Blowhole's hover-scooter floated over to where Private was caught in the net.
"Well, well. So the penguins didn't even have the guts to face me themselves this time, did they? They had to send someone else to fight in their place?"
"What? Oh, right! I doubt you would know."
"Know? Know what? And why do you sound like that weak little penguin, what's his name again? Oh yes, Private!"
"Oh? A 'weak little penguin', am I? Well, I am Private. Kowalski turned me into an otter by accident, and now I'm here, on my own, to save Marlene. And I won't stop trying to save Marlene till I've taken my last breath. Now, if you'll excuse me, Kowalski just arrived, and so I'm just going to get out of this trap, and then kick your butt and save Marlene! You got all that?"
Blowhole just stood there, silent as a statue. Meanwhile, Kowalski- who really was there, Private hadn't just been bluffing- had sliced through the ropes holding the net up. Helping Private to his feet, Kowalski leaned over and whispered to Private.
"Private, you've got to get Marlene and yourself to safety. Skipper is on his way, and he thinks you betrayed him, so he's planning to kill you and Marlene both. What's worse, is that Blowhole isn't the mastermind behind it this time. Blowhole works for someone else, Private. Someone so devious and clever that they've fooled everyone, even Skipper. You've got to get out of here now."
Private looked at Kowalski, dumbfounded. This was the same penguin he had fought with over every tiny detail for two years now? And yet Kowalski was still willing to help save Private and Marlene's lives.
"I'll repay you someday, Kowalski. Thank you so much."
"Don't worry. Just go."
"Well, well, well. What have we here? Mutiny, or loyalty. I really can't tell which it is. Tell me Kowalski. Have you ever worried that Skipper could be... beaten?"
"What do you mean! Who are you! Come out and show yourself! I refuse to talk to shadows, so either fight like a man, or release me and my friends!"
"Who am I? A good question, Kowalski. Perhaps you aren't going insane, as you believe. Your paranoia that Skipper was going to actually harm Marlene, even going so far as to kill her, was totally unfounded. Skipper was only saying that to force Private to get tough in order to protect the person he cares so much about. It would have worked perfectly, except that it was still my move. You were right about being a puppet, except it isn't Skipper pulling the strings. It was me, and still is. Every detail of your lives has been due to my influence. I have kept you safe, guided you to this point, so I can enjoy the festivities as you begin to turn on each other. Private becoming an otter was my design. I made sure of that flaw in your calculations. I made sure Skipper was so easily led. I made sure Rico couldn't talk, so he couldn't reveal who I was. I did everything. So who am I? Well, my name is most definitely your concern. My followers, however, call me...The Master."
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Me: *Doctor Who theme plays over speakers* Wow. Skipper and his teammates have just been puppets to this guy their whole lives. That's gotta suck. Learning that the only reason you survived was because someone has molded you into a tool to be used, then tossed aside. That little twist was actually a last minute thing. I only thought it up while typing this chapter, but I think it adds a little more evil to this mysterious person's character.
Kowalski: Thank you for not making me crazy.
Me: Oh, hey Kowalski. Well, I could hardly have one of my favourite penguins turn crazy on me, could I?
Rico: Nuh-uh
Skipper: Hey, why am I not in this chapter?
Me: Relax, you're in the next one. Possibly. If you're a good little penguin.
Skipper: Don't patronise me. And why am I a puppet, huh?
Me: Because I felt like making you a puppet, that's why.*Hand puppets begin tap-dancing on stage* Not that kind of puppet, dumbass! One of those marrionette things. And don't forget, I could have 'The Master' kill you whenever I want. All I'd have to do is write it, and up the story's rating, that's literally all I'd have to do. So shut up.
Skipper: You're more stuck up than that ringtail.
Julien: Yeah, you're more stuck up than... Wait, what? I am not to be being stuck-up. So shut up.
Me: That's it! Mr. The Master?
The Master: Yes?
Me: Take care of these two *points to Skipper and Julien* And make it painful.
TM: My pleasure, Mr. Author, sir.
Me: Anyway, read the next chapter when it arrives. Maybe Private does something daring, I dunno, I haven't written it yet. But it will be good.
