Tatsuhi watched as Rory was swallowed up by the white foam at the end of the wave. The rockhopper was probably already at the top, moments away from being thrown away by the massive force. He snapped his head to Tank's direction.

- Eat my surf, sucker! – the champion shouted after Rory, before speeding off.

Tatsuhi felt a strong urge to catch up with the emperor penguin and kick him in the belly but he knew it would be suicide even on land.

He made a decision. With a bold hairpin bend he left the wave and steered backwards to the end of the wave, not giving a crap about the blowing horn saying he was disqualified. When the white, foamy end of the wave passed by him, he stopped on the calm surface and looked around.

He saw Lani jumping into the water from the shore, swimming in his direction. He couldn't spot out Rory.

With a shrug Tatsuhi decided it was his turn to try to commit suicide and jumped into the water. He knew all too well that if a wave passed over him, he could say good bye to his board and maybe to his life too. But there was no time to think about these things. Rory hadn't surfaced yet and that meant big trouble.

The water was dark and Tatsuhi could hardly see anything. Then he spotted out a movement from the corner of his eye. He turned there to see Rory struggling in the grip of some kind of sea weed. The rockhopper's right leg enmeshed with the green "tentacles" and couldn't break free. It was a miracle he hadn't fainted yet after his wipeout.

Tatsuhi quickly got there and he grabbed the weed, gesturing Rory to stop squirming. The rockhopper's oxygen wasn't lasting for long. Tatsuhi ripped the weed apart with such force no one would have given him and he hugged the half-fainted Rory. His lungs were burning. He started swimming upwards.

The two penguins' heads burst out of the water in the very moment Tatsuhi felt he could no longer hang in there. The ocean was still calm and his board was not far away. He pulled Rory there and the two panting surfers laid their heads on the ZX-19 that now was an island of peace.

Rory's wheezing was loud and desperate but at least he was alive. Tatsuhi managed a weak smile.

- You… you saved me! – Rory panted happily once his breathing calmed down a little.

- Yeah, I did – Tatsuhi nodded.

Rory lunged at him, and gave him a noogie. Where did he get the energy for that?

- I'm in your debt, T! – the Australian would have shouted had he had enough oxygen for that.

Tatsuhi rubbed his aching head with a grimace. He will be lucky if he survives the contest with unbroken skull.

Lani reached them.

- Are you two alright? – she asked worriedly.

- Yeah – the two said in unison.

They looked at each other in surprise then burst out in laughing. Lani let out a faint sigh as she calmed down.

The three penguins headed for the shore where the Aussie Blast was waiting for his owner on the sand. Rory wobbled out with the help of Tatsuhi. The rockhopper was heavy. Tatsuhi almost laughed out loud. There goes his promise.

After collecting the Aussie Blast the two friends fell into the background, Rory lying down on the sand. He was lucky he survived that wipeout.

The finals started. And so did the row of unbelievable happenings.

First of all Tank wiped out while blocking Cody's way. Then Cody and Chicken Joe got 27 points for their tricks while Tank had 0. And the last wave came.

Cody almost rode into the tube (that would have meant a hell lot of points), but Tank attacked Joe. So the small rockhopper went to the rescue, saving the chicken but pissing off Tank so hard the emperor penguin pushed him out of bounds… straight into the dreaded Boneyards.

Rory's and Tatsuhi's lower beaks dropped as they saw pieces of a surfboard flying up from the bottom of a giant black cliff, moments before the huge wave collapsed.

Lani came, grabbed her board and sped off to save the two penguins… if they were still alive, of course.

-… You think…? – Rory asked, not daring to finish the sentence.

Tatsuhi slowly shook his head.

- I don't know. It looked like it.

Rory gulped and got to his feet. Two more giant waves bombarded the Boneyards before the ocean finally calmed down.

Lani pulled out the fainted Tank, her eyes glued to the dark cliffs. Cody was nowhere to be found.

The kid's board hit the shore. Rory and Tatsuhi ran there to stand it up.

- Don't touch it! Don't touch that! – Reggie tossed them aside.

But before Rory could raise his wing to punch the otter in the face, Reggie bowed his head.

- This is a reminder of the young surfer who gave his life for a sport he loved – the mammal sobbed.

Rory immediately bowed his head.

Everyone gathered around the board.

- Young Joey MacEnroe was a beacon for a new generation – Reggie continued, failing at the name again. – May he rest in peace.

Tatsuhi glanced at Rory. Could those grey eyes show sadness? Nobody knew. But it was clear on Rory's face.

- I was starting to like him – he muttered so softly, even Tatsuhi could hardly catch it.

- So, what am I bid for the board? Who'll give me 30? 30, come on – Reggie's sudden and instant change of topic, the eagerness he showed made Rory jump.

The Australian almost lunged at the otter, but Tatsuhi held his wing firmly, his eyes warning the rockhopper of knowing his place.

- DON'T TOUCH HIS STUFF, MAN! – an old yet powerful voice rang from behind Reggie.

Before the otter could react, someone snatched the board away. Rory's lower beak dropped as he jabbed Tatsuhi on the ribs to make him look up.

Loud gasps emitted from the crowd. Tatsuhi's usually slit eyes widened. Rory forgot to breathe for a moment.

The long lost Big Z (though older and fatter) was standing in front of them.

- Hey, everyone! – he greeted them, a little bit embarrassed.

Someone shouted his name from the crowd. Big Z nodded then looked behind them:

- Skank, what's happening, man? Got a little sand in your egg sac there, fella!

Rory turned around and saw the most priceless face in history.

Two old ladies, Zeke's girlfriends bombarded him with questions.

- Oh, you know… - the old penguin muttered. –… I got lost for a little while… But that kid there, Cody… – he moved out of the way, revealing the small rockhopper with the disappeared shrine board under his wing. –… he pointed the way back.

Okay, this was too much. Rory had to remind himself to breathe because he was so awestruck he even forgot to do that.

The crowd gathered around Big Z. Tatsuhi was so amazed he couldn't say a word, just shared a look with Rory and in that look there was every unspoken word they had for Z and each other.

Reggie of course wasn't about to give up but after Zeke shut him up, everyone forgot about the otter. The crowd followed him into the jungle, to the northern beach. Rory was coming too but not before he gave the signal to his… partners in crime.

Tatsuhi looked over his shoulder and froze to his spot. Tank was screaming like a girl, holding the trophy that wasn't even his, surrounded by a swarm of chirping hatchlings.

- Your face is priceless, mate – Rory smirked as he got next to him, admiring the scene.

- You… did this? – Tatsuhi looked at him.

- Organized it, more likely – the Australian said proudly. – Encouraged the kids to do it.

- But… when?

- During the finals. Guessed he would win, but he has the trophy anyway.

Tatsuhi remembered. Rory did insist bringing drinks so he could disappear. The Japanese looked at the kids as they threw the trophy around, and he burst out in laughing.

The two friends, roaring with laughter, followed the crowd to the beautiful northern beach. By the time they got there the sun was going down and the dark clouds disappeared. The orange light made everything even more astonishing.

Z gave his old boards to those who needed them and soon almost the whole island was in the water. Chicken Joe had a bath with his new friends, the Penguans in a cauldron. Rory surfed with Kelly Slaters, the other pro besides Rob then joined to Tatsuhi on another wave.

The two friends rode into a tube and to the land of fairytales also.