Welcome to chapter 10. Let's do this, shall we? Here we go.
CHAPTER 10 – A Christmas Surprise, Part 2
(P to Skipper) I had just finished my decision on who should remain in charge and we were now flying to Coney Island on the jetpacks. Blowhole had sent us no message, but my gut was saying that was where Marlene was. It was also saying something was happening to her.
It was not being specific though. And that worried me. Marlene was being targeted because of me. If we hadn't been dating, we wouldn't both have this problem. But that thought made me disgusted. We had a wonderful time dating. And I was going to finally pop the question on Christmas.
Yes, I finally was going to ask Marlene if she wanted to be my wife. I remembered the plan she had leaked years earlier. * A serenade on the Spanish guitar by myself, and then I would give her a bouquet of oysters on half-shells spelling out her name. But now… I didn't want to risk this happening again.
But I just wouldn't be able to tear myself away from Marlene. That would hurt both her and myself. I just couldn't do that. Our lives had been so happy and I didn't want to destroy them. And she had been so terribly alone at this time last year, as she had said. I just couldn't send her back into that abyss of despair.
I would have to deal with that later, as we were coming up on Coney Island. All I could hope was that Marlene was alright. I just wanted her back safe and sound.
(P to Marlene, earlier) I woke up with a headache. I was groggy and thought I saw a Penguin in front of me. I shook my head to get that crazy thought out of my head. But the Penguin shook their head as well. To the best of my ability, I moved my feet around.
The Penguin did too. I moved my head slowly up and down and the Penguin followed suit! I was looking at a mirror. Somehow, I was a Penguin. I wasn't in Skipper's body this time. I was a true Penguin, with my own beak, feathers, and wings.
I was absolutely shocked. Why had I been turned into a Penguin? What purpose did Blowhole have to making me a Penguin? Suddenly, the door opened. It was Blowhole. The mirror vanished into the floor.
"Why?" I asked him in a curious tone. "Oh good. It worked," Blowhole said proudly. "What purpose do you have turning me into a Penguin?" I asked him. He chuckled. "Oh, that's only the start of what this can do. I never told you the name of my invention, did I? Well, it's the Animal-Change-O-Matic," he said. **
"I want to go back to being myself," I said. "You've seen the mirror. This is you," he said. "I like my fur and paws," I said. "Very well then. But you'll have to wait for this machine to charge up. It drained so much power that it has to recharge. I have no idea how long that will be, though," he said.
Suddenly, I heard an alarm. My heart skipped a beat. Skipper was finally here to rescue me! But would he know that this Penguin was really I? I would speak, but what would he think of me? And how long was I going to be a Penguin?
(P to Skipper) We dropped down into Blowhole's lair. "Where's Marlene?" I said to him. "Skipper!" I heard Marlene's voice say. I turned my head towards her voice. What I saw astounded me. There was a Penguin. "Marlene?" I asked her.
"Yes, Skipper, it's me!" she exclaimed. I nearly said, "Wow," in a loving way before I remembered about Blowhole. Marlene looked beautiful as a Penguin though. "So how do you like her Skipper?" Blowhole asked me.
(P to Marlene) Skipper had seen me as a Penguin. I was now his species. He looked like he was about so say something, but stopped. He must have thought I was beautiful, hopefully.
"Change her back right now," Skipper said angrily to Blowhole. He surprisingly looked in thought for a moment. "Very well," Blowhole said. I shot a look of panic at Skipper, wondering if he was out of his mind. There was no way we could trust Blowhole.
"Finally. That took awhile," Blowhole said. His machine must have charged up again. I shot another panicked look at Skipper, while preparing for the blast. It hit me, but the pain was much less. I looked at myself and I was glowing a yellow color. Suddenly, a sheet blocked everyone's view of me and I was blinded, for a few seconds.
The sheet went away and the mirror rose up again. "You fiend! I said change her back!" Skipper shouted before they all started to charge after him. "Lobsters attack!" Blowhole ordered them. I was in shock of what I was now. I was wearing clothes. Human clothes. They matched my fur colors of brown and white. ***
I had long, brown hair. I was maybe 5'7" or 5'8". I had thumbs! Thumbs! I was a human! The braces had adjusted to my new size. Why was I Blowhole's test subject? Why couldn't he use a lobster instead of me?
(P to Skipper) The second Blowhole changed Marlene into a human, I immediately attacked. But a lobster got in my way. While I threw him, my men started to attack as well. Why he had made Marlene his test subject was clearly to go after my feelings for her.
"You. Stop. This," I said to him, while punching more lobsters. "Never. Not until you stop messing with my plans," he said evily. That was all he wanted? He was probably hurting Marlene with doing this just so we'd stop?
(P to Marlene) One of the lobsters that the guys were fighting nearly got punched into Blowhole's machine. I did not want to know what would happen if it broke. I might be stuck as a human, unless Kowalski could miraculously make another one.
Another lobster went flying at the machine and hit a button. It must have had enough power to change me again because it got ready to fire. I got shot again and a minute later, I was a Penguin again.
I absolutely did not question it. Even if I were stuck as a Penguin if the machine broke, I would be able to stay in the zoo. And with Skipper. But I still wanted to go back to being an Otter.
I saw the lobsters pile on Skipper. "Skipper!" I cried. Suddenly, they all went flying. My scream must have motivated him. But more piles kept coming. I started growling every time, and louder.
I had no idea why I was doing so, but it kept getting louder. My feathers were starting to stand on end. I had no idea why. But I was struggling against the bars again. I thought I saw them bend a miniscule amount. I kept trying and trying, growling louder and louder.
I was somehow gaining more energy each time. I didn't know what was coming over me, but I was accepting it. I saw more miniscule amounts of bending in the locks. I needed more strength to break free. Then I could help.
(P to Skipper) There were many more lobsters during this battle than I had ever seen. Blowhole must have spent a lot of time preparing for this day. But hopefully this would be the last time. Then I could offer Marlene to be my wife.
Every time I heard Marlene scream when I got tackled, it gave me the extra jolt of energy I needed to break free. Every time I beat back a pile of lobsters it was one step closer to stopping this plan. Suddenly, I heard locks snapping and a roar. That got all of our attention. And then a black and white blur zoomed around, bringing down lobster after lobster.
(P to Marlene) I had no idea what I was doing, but I was in control of myself. I was free of the locks and now attacking the lobsters. But I wasn't just punching, I was straight up running into them full-on, sending them flying. I nearly ran into Skipper, but steered myself away from him.
Had Blowhole's machine done something to me? Why was I running around like crazy, running head and fist-first into lobsters? Yet I was in control of myself, with complete control of my actions. I was terribly confused, but was taking advantage of the situation for as long as I could.
(P to 3rd-person) Marlene and everyone else were confused at what was going on with her. When a lobster tried to even start defending itself from the onslaught Marlene was bringing, it would get punched before it even rose its claws halfway.
Little did Marlene suspect that she had somehow willed a part of herself that she had kept in control for years to be active. It had rampaged around New York for a few hours ****, terrorized the badgers *****, and had denied Marlene from trying a snow cone all those years ago. ****** It was Littlefoot.
But this time, Marlene was in control over Littlefoot, not the other way around. Marlene's desire of freedom and to help had given her control over Littlefoot. Suddenly, a lobster was hit into Blowhole's machine and it fired at just the right time to turn Marlene back into an Otter.
(P to Marlene) I suddenly saw my fur reappear. And out of my paws, my claws were released. I now knew what was happening. I had gone feral. Somehow, Littlefoot became active again. But this time, I was in control.
After a few minutes, I took out every single lobster. Not one was left standing. I knew who my next target was. I jumped towards Blowhole, but he somehow reacted with just enough time to get out of my way.
I snarled at him. Little ol' me snarled at him! I could tell he was panicked. With a speed I never knew I had, I pounced on him, yet retracted my claws just before impact. I knocked him off his Segway, making him unconscious instantly.
(P to 3rd-person) The second Marlene took out Blowhole, Littlefoot started fighting back. Marlene fell off Blowhole, trying to resist her feral side from taking over. She could only say, "Help." But Skipper knew what to do. He lacked his Spanish guitar, but there was one thing that would work.
He ran over to Marlene. Even though she was losing it, she looked at him with panicked eyes. In moments, she would be lost to her feral side. Skipper gave her determined eyes and then kissed her, full beak to lips. Marlene started kissing him back. Her fur went back down and she stopped growling.
Skipper had calmed her down. Marlene was back to normal. They were lost in their moment, free of any problems. But that ended after a few minutes. Marlene was the first to speak up.
(P to Marlene) "Did… did I do all of this?" I asked Skipper. I had nearly destroyed Blowhole's lair. "Marlene… I think you did," he answered. "But how did I control Littlefoot? I've never even tried to use my feral side before," I said. "Kowalski, check Blowhole's invention for any side effects," Skipper said to him.
I looked around again. "I caused a lot of damage," I said, in awe and fear of myself. "Yes Marlene. But you used it for defense. Not for the express purpose of harm," Skipper said to me. I looked at him, somewhat surprised.
"Marlene, I sure am proud of you. You managed to somehow use your feral side for good and not evil," he said. He looked like he was going to say more, but before he could do that I gave him another kiss. He was proud of me. I loved him. He was perfect.
"Skipper, I have analyzed Blowhole's invention and there's nothing here that could have awoken Littlefoot from within Marlene," Kowalski said. "Then how did I do that?" I asked him. "Maybe your desire to get free and help triggered something. But I am unsure. Now did Blowhole give you any information as to what this invention does besides turn animals into other species?" he asked me.
"Actually Kowalski, apparently that's all it does," I said to him. "Skipper, how did I look as a Penguin and a human?" I asked him. "You looked more beautiful as a Penguin than a human. But you were still beautiful. But nothing tops your natural appearance as an Otter," Skipper answered.
I kissed him again. He loved the real me, the Otter me. "What do we do with Blowhole?" I asked Skipper. "Well, the Mind Jacking worked until Parker got involved. So we'll just extensively question someone before they tell us about him," he said.
"Is that our best option Kowalski?" I asked him. "Yes Marlene, I believe so," he answered. "Can I Mind Jack him?" I asked Skipper. He smiled. "Yes Marlene. You should go full circle in stopping him," he said proudly.
I gave him another kiss before jumping on Blowhole's Segway. "Which button is it Skipper? You were the last one to Mind Jack him," I said to him. "That I was. It's the big red button Marlene," Skipper replied.
I pressed it and a clown head popped out of the Segway. I turned it towards Blowhole and pressed the red button again. A purple ray hit Blowhole and collected something, which was probably his memories.
(P to Christmas Day) "I'd say this Kidsmas is a success," I said happily to Skipper. "It really is Marlene. I've never seen the kids happier," he said. "I know. They're adorable," I said to him.
"They truly are. And I think I forgot to give you a Christmas present," Skipper said to me. I gave him a love punch. "That you did mister. So what is it?" I asked eagerly. "Now, now, you don't want me to leak it, do you? Go to your habitat and I'll get it ready," he said to me. I gave him a quick kiss before heading to my habitat. I actually was tired and for some reason, fell asleep. The excursion from the day before was still taking its toll.
(P to two hours later) I woke up being kissed. I knew it was Skipper immediately. "Is my present ready?" I asked Skipper after we pulled apart. He smiled. "It is," he said. I looked around my cave. "There's nothing here?" I asked him questioningly. "It's outside Marlene," he said.
"Always with suspense," I said to him, making us laugh. He took me outside with my paw in his wing. Outside, there still wasn't anything. I looked questioningly at Skipper. "Still nothing Skipper," I said to him. "Au contraire mon amour." ******* "Why is he speaking in French?" I wondered to myself.
I looked up and there was the moon. It wasn't full, but it wasn't gone. "Marlene, I have something special for you," Skipper said to me. I looked away from the moon and back at Skipper. In his hands was a Spanish guitar. He started to play.
Was this it? Was this the moment I had hoped to happen for so long finally taking place? I was being serenaded, that was absolutely true. This song was more romantic than any he had played on Valentine's Day. After a few minutes of this song, Skipper stopped.
He merely looked at me. I gave him no emotion, to see what he was going to do next. But his gut must have told him otherwise. He put down his Spanish guitar and looked behind a rock for something. I gasped when I saw what it was. It was a bouquet of oysters on half-shells spelling out Marlene!
"Marlene. I have never been surer about anything in my entire life. I love you Marlene. I always will. So I ask you: Would you like to be my wife?" he asked me. Without hesitation, I took the bouquet from Skipper. I set it down. I then kissed Skipper with all my might in a big hug. "Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes! Always yes!" I exclaimed happily.
And that's the wrap on this chapter. But I have one last thing to take care of, so we have one more chapter! It shall be coming out on New Year's Day. But for now, please review this chapter. And please read the notes I have.
* Referencing "Monkey Love" where Marlene leaked out how she wanted to be proposed to.
** I know I'm copying the title from Book 3 of In Our World.
*** You can easily find images of Marlene as a Penguin and a human through Google, or whatever your local search engine is.
**** Referencing "Littlefoot".
***** Referencing the end of "Badger Pride".
****** Referencing "Otter Gone Wild."
******* The translation from French to English is: On the contrary my love.