Disclaimer: I don't own... PoM...

Hey guys! Here's chapter 13! Oh, and FYI, Only Eloise's irises become red, not the whole thing… ENJOY!

Previously, On How It All Began…

"…And I woke up after Skippah and we saw a huge tray full of yummy fish fillet right in front of the door!" Benajmin said.

"Fish fillet huh? Sounds delicious." James smirked.

"It was!" Benjamin said, rubbing his belly.

"Wait… you ate some? But…but that was for the penguins… you… you stole their meal, you…"

"I didn't steal. Skipper gave me his." Benjamin replied.

Eloise put her flipper on Benjamin's forehead. "Benjy, you're burning!" she shrieked, pulling the blanket off him.

"Wh… *cough* What h… happened?" Benjamin asked.

"The fish fillet. It was poisoned. At this very moment, we have our best agents investigating everything." Doc replied.

"The fish you ate was meant for me. It made you sicker than Manfredi." Skipper said.

"OUR TRAINING! WE'RE LATE!" Johnson panicked.

"Oh yeah… right." Skipper said then he turned to Benjamin "We'll be back. PROMISE."

"Er… Skipper? Can I talk to you… in private?" Amy said.

Amy lunged at Skipper.

"Skipper! Watch out!" Manfredi yelled, pushing Skipper out of the way. Manfredi screamed when he felt sharp teeth pierce his body.

"MANFREDI! NO!"

YOU were my target, Skipper…" Amy added, "I was afraid you'd never let your guard down. The moment you DID, I tried to attack. The plan was working flawlessly until your little FRIEND interfered with it." She bared her teeth and growled at Skipper.

Skipper pinned her to the ground. "You're a SPY!"

How It All Began

Chapter 13: Pain and Loss

Hans jumped in the car containing the injured Manfredi while Skipper jumped in the one containing Amy and they sped off toward the SMPF.

Unfortunately, the group was slowed down by a soft blizzard. They kept pushing through, but gave up when word came from HQ that there was a strong blizzard forming in their location, so they took refuge in a cave that they found.

They put the unconscious Amy in a well-guarded cage. Hans tried to ask where it came from, but Skipper told him it was classified.

Then Skipper noticed movement in the cage.

"Well, did you enjoy your sleep?" Skipper smirked, approaching it.

"Oh yeah, yeah. It was fine." Amy said sarcastically. "You know, it's amazing, how I slept.. I was restless until someone WHACKED ME IN THE NECK!" she sat up and turned facing the opposite wall of the cage.

"Why would you join Blowhole? Free penguin meals?" Skipper guessed.

Amy sighed. "It's… It's complicated."

"Well let's hear it." Skipper said.

Amy grunted and turned to face Skipper. "You remember the first time we met? In that airvent? What I told you was real. I really was taken unwillingly from, not Antarctica, but from a zoo. The zoo my family lived in. It was so peaceful there. We were not accused as… uh… what did you call it?... er… The cold-hearted, back-stabbing creatures of the ice?"

Skipper chuckled as he remembered his definition of leopard seals.

"But then, Dr. Blowhole too me in my sleep when I was still young, still being bottle-fed my those humans. I was still too innocent to kill penguins, plus, they don't feed us penguin. I used that as a reason for them to release me but it only made it worse. He said he could train me to be a ruthless, cruel penguin killer. They didn't feed me so I'd be hungry the next day. They would only let me eat if I did well in training."

Amy shook her head, as to clear the sad memories in her head. "Wh… Why are you tending to me? Your teammate looks like he needs you." Amy said, glancing at Manfredi, who was surrounded by Doc and some medical teams.

Skipper narrowed his eyes at her then gave a glance to some of the agents, who nodded and guarded the cage while Skipper neared his injured teammate.

When he got close enough, he was blocked by two medical agents.

"HEY! What's the big idea?" Skipper complained.

"It is imperative that none shall near the patient during treatment, sir." On replied.

"Fine then. Carry on." Skipper said, walking away. He glanced at the two, who weren't looking at him. Then he zipped back and went near the opposite side of the crowd.

"What else can we do, Doc?" Skipper heard a voice ask.

"I'm afraid we can't do anything now. The bit on his stomach is too infected and is still open. All we can do now is let nature take it's course." Doc replied.

"WHAT! You mean he's gonna… die?" Skipper said, getting everyone's attention.

Doc sighed then nodded.

"NO!" Skipper shouted, pushing his way through the crowd.

"Manfredi! Don't die! The team needs you!" Skipper aid, holding back tears.

"*cough* Skipper… I h… hope the team will be f…fine without me."

The rest of the team approached them.

"Y…you're a great leader, Skipper... P… please keep it that way.. And… Thank you… Th… thank you for… everything, Skipper." Manfredi said with his last breath, then the life in his eyes was gone.

"No, no, no Manfredi! Say something!" Skipper insisted, tears rolling down his cheek.

There was no reply.

"NOOOO!" Skipper screamed to the sky before resting his head mournfully on his teammates body. "Manfredi…" Skipper mumbled.

"How will we ever explain this to everybody?" Doc asked, ducking her head.

Soon enough, they held a mourning ceremony. Even after the ceremony, Skipper mourned the longest. It seemed that he couldn't get over his death.

Doc noticed this and approached him.

"Depression is unhealthy, you know…" Doc started.

"Wh… what?" Skipper asked, looking up from his sobbing.

"It can cause Insomnia, fatigue, headache, digestive related problems, body ache…"

"Okay, okay! I get it! Depression can be bad! Now stop with the Jibber-jabber already." Skipper complained.

Doc was amused at this and chuckled. "Well, somebody's in a bad mood." She smirked.

Skipper stood up and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry. I just can't get over it."

"Well, you should. You have to move on and take care of the rest of your team. I can help, if you want."

"But Doc, Manf-"

"Please, just call me Alice." Doc said, smiling.

"Alice?" Skipper asked in confusion.

"Yeah. That's my first nickname… Y… you didn't know?"

Skipper shook his head.

"Well, now you know. Alice Doc Grove. Nice to meet you… Hehe."

"Who else calls you Alice?" Skipper asked curiously.

"Well, sometimes Nigel. Er… some of the oldest medical agents, my mentor… and now, you." Doc smiled. "But in front of other people, please call me Doc… Eh, what were we talking 'bout?"

"Manfredi. H… he's a dear friend of mine. Not as close as me and Hans, but… A big portion of his death is my fault. I'm his leader! I'm a skipper! And I let my guard down. I didn't realize that if I do that, I would be putting my team's lives at risk. I should be the one bitten by that monster. Not him." Skipper said, frowning.

"Skipper, you fret too much. If you hadn't let your guard down, then we wouldn't capture one of Blowhole's spies. If you were the one bitten by Amy, then… thenyou would die. Then you, the team leader would die. Then the whole team would fall apart! If you died … if you were the one lying on a stretcher, the one I gave up on… I'd never forgive myself for giving up on you." Doc said, looking at her feet then she looked at Skipper and met his gaze. Then she blushed. "I… I… I mean… You're the leader, and… and… I would be responsible if the team falls apart, and… maybe the leader will be replaced…"

"Okay, okay… You know, sometimes, you talk too much…" Skipper complained.

Doc scratched the back of her neck. "Sorry…"

"Well… uh… Thanks, Alice. I'm feeling a lot better than I was before. Thank you…" he said, slightly bowing with respect.

Doc laughed. "I'm not as old as you think, Skipper."

Skipper looked confused.

"I was just 8 when you were 6… I… I'm a King Penguin. A big penguin. That's why I looked taller and… older before… Doc is my second nickname. My mentor, Jessie, trained me. I'm a fast learner therefore my smarts boosted up rapidl… wait… Am I talking too much?"

"No, no, no…. But uh… Thanks again, Alice." Skipper said before walking away.

Doc sighed, watching him longingly.

Benjamin groaned on his bed. James went to have a meeting with the remaining medical teams while Eloise was trying to calm Silvia down. The news came about the blizzard and Skipper, his team, Doc, her team, and a bunch of other medical teams were confined in a cave until the blizzard dies down.

"Silvia, It's alright! Skipper can take care of himself." Eloise comforted.

"I know that! It's just… Cody… I care about him, you know!" Silvia whined.

Then the door swung open. "Benjamin! Eloise! I've got good news and bad news." James announced.

"You do?" Eloise asked excitedly.

"What is *cough* what is it?" Benjamin said.

"The good news is, together with the chem teams, I've found the cure for the super poison." James announced.

"That's wonderful! And the bad news?" Eloise insisted.

"Um… eh… you have to inject it in him." James said, holding up a needle and a bottle of yellow liquid.

"*cough cough* WHAT!?" Benjamin panicked.

"It's okay, Benjy! It's just a little pinch. Then you'll be all better in a jiffy." Eloise reassured.

"A SHOT is not a LITTLE PINCH, and I have NO idea what a jiffy is! So PLEASE jus- AAH!" Benjamin shrieked as the needle pierced him.

"There." James said, removing the needle. "Good as new… I guess."

Benjamin fainted on the bed.

"That MIGHT be one of the effects of the potion. That means it's working." James said, smiling innocently.

Then another penguin barged in the room.

"SILVIA! Your son's coming back! The blizzard stopped! It's a miracle!" a female penguin said.

"Really? That's great news! …wait… I know that look, Jessie. There's something you're not telling me."

"Nothing! I told you everything! I have absolutely - okay you got me…" Jessie took a deep breath. "Manfredi … Manfredi's dead."

Everyone(except Benjamin, who is unconscious) gasped.

"It was Amy. She killed him." Jessie reported.

"Dear me. When did this happen?" James asked.

"Just when Skipper and his team left for her cover training. She's actually a spy of Dr. Blowhole."

"Oh my, did they capture her?" Silvia said.

Jessie nodded. "They've got her secured and watched carefully. In fact, they're on their way here RIGHT NOW!"

Then there was a beeping sound.

James looked at his watch. "Oh great. Another meeting? … Sorry. Gotta go." James said, zipping out the room.

"Oh that busy James. Always out on a meeting. What a great agent he must be." Jessie commented.

Meanwhile, somewhere near the HQ

"This is agent 780, to Doctor Blowhole. Doctor Blowhole, come in." A voice said.

A tiny screen became visible.

"Agent 780. Anything to report?"

"A Blizzard has slowed down the target, doc. But he's on his way here now. Agent 402 got caught and is trapped. Anything I can do?"

"Try to get her out of trouble when the time comes. But as much as possible, Do-o-on't get caught by any of the other… peng-yoo-wins."

"Aye-aye doc." The voice replied.

"Skipper!" Silvia shouted with delight as she ran toward her son. "Oh how I've missed you!"

"Mom!" Skipper said, hugging his mother.

"Dad!" Johnson shrieked, playfully tackling his father.

"Johnson! I'm so glad you're okay." Jackson said.

Skipper let go of his mother and smiled before watching some of the best agents transporting Amy to a cell.

"You killed an innocent, young agent, Amy. You're gonna get the punishment you deserve." One said, chaining the leopard seal

"B…but… I'm not the only agent! My partner is implanted into the heart of the SMPF!" Amy reasoned.

Another agent scoffed. "And who would that be?"

"Agent 780, A.K.A… James Brown!" Amy said, narrowing her eyes at James.

"What?! Don't believe her! It's a trick! She's lying!" James said.

"Don't you lie to me, James! He's the one who tried to poison Skipper and his team! I mean… how else can someone poison their food and get away with it?! It has to be one of the most trusted agents in all of SMPF! JAMES BROWN!"

The agents murmured in agreement.

James scowled at Amy. "Well great job, Agent. You exposed my whole cover." Then he smirked at the other agents. "Yes. I'm a spy."

Everyone gasped then scowled at him. "Traitor!" one shouted.

"Heh, time to make my great escape! Oh, and… uh… try to remember me as the worlds greatest DPA, Hahaha!" He laughed evilly.

"James?" Eloise stammered, tears in her eyes.

"Oh yeah. Thank you, Eloise. My true identity was completely covered because of you and Benjamin."

"You used us!" Eloise shrieked angrily.

"Well duh!... Farewell, Secret Military Penguin Jerks!" James said, throwing a smoke bomb on the floor. It exploded and a blanket of smoke covered the whole room. When the smoke cleared, all that was left of the spies was a feather and the chains they used to tie Amy.

Eloise felt a flipper on her shoulder and turned to see Skipper.

"I'm so sorry." He said.

Eloise closed her eyes and sighed, pushing his flipper off and she ran down a hall.

TO BE CONTINUED...