"The answer to every problem involved penguins."
― Rick Riordan
One by one four groggy penguins opens their eyes on the couch... That now is much roomier than it was when they went to sleep last night.
In fact, the whole room looks bigger.
And their clothes too, feel so big that they almost feel stuck in them.
They then look at each other.
Kowalski gasps. "You look normal." He squirms around enough to kick a foot free from his clothes. "And me too!"
Skipper squiggles out from the clothes and stands up. "Kowalski, I'm going to need analysis. What the fried shrimp is going on?"
The rest escape their clothing death-traps too, although some struggle more than others. "It would appear that the results from the ray were possibly temporary?" Kowalski suggests. "Though this leads me to wonder about Bridget's features as well."
There is something cooking that smells really good and a soft humming voice that comes directly from the kitchen.
Four little penguins waddle to the kitchen.
There stands Bridget, making breakfast. She hasn't yet noticed them or their talking. Her humming is like a soft lullaby.
Kowalski clears his throat. "Morning. Do you still understand us?"
"AH—"
Bridget jumps, startled by Kowalski's interruption. She turns around to face them, and her eyes widen. Who were men last night now are penguins again.
"...OH, uh...yeah? I—I can hear ya?" There are feathers still in her head, it's clear as day her side effects didn't go away.
Kowalski also jumps at her scream. "Sorry I didn't mean to startle you." However, he looks puzzled. "But there goes my theory that the abnormalities were only temporary."
"...Won't lie, I am surprised you're all penguin again. I woke up early before sunrise and ya all we're still humans and shit," Bridget twists around to turn off the shove before continuing to conversant.
"But, I guess it's good ta be yourselves again?"
"Yeah. This feels right." Skipper gestures to himself.
Bridget nods. She wonders for a moment how come their conditions are not permanent like hers. Not that she wanted to be stuck with pengmen, that was kinda a relief. But something didn't sit right with her on this. She doesn't know why...it's just a gut feeling that wasn't it for them.
Or...maybe she's just a little jealous they're normal now and she's stuck with a tail and feathers. Can't blame herself if it's the latter.
Kowalski still has a skeptical expression. "If Bridget's wasn't temporary, then that leads me to think our abnormalities are not either." He starts pacing. "Perhaps they're like an allergic reaction and are triggered by something?"
"Kowalski, do you hear yourself? What kinda wacked out allergy causes you to turn human? It was temporary. Case closed."
"Ya say that, but ya don't know that," Bridget flips her last pancake onto the stack of them.
"I'd at least give it 24 hours before closin a case there,"
Skipper groans.
"Thank you." Kowalski nods towards Bridget before reaching up to touch the bridge of his beak with his puzzled frustration. However, he quickly regrets this as the area is still pretty tender from yesterday.
Black eyes glance at him when he does this before they look away in guilt.
He notices this and smiles at her. "Oh don't feel bad. It's just a bruise. I've been hurt far worse just testing inventions. It was a valid reaction."
Skipper rolls his eyes.
There is some silence before Bridget clears her throat.
"So uh...ya guys hungry?"
'Sounds like I need plan B for breakfast'
Now, this gets their attention and in sync, there's a chorus of 'yeahs' and 'kind ofs'.
With a nod, the human searches around for something penguins can eat.
But with Bridget's allergies and dislikes for fish or seafood, she becomes a stump.
Private gently pulls at her pant leg. "You don't have to worry. We can eat food other than just fish, too." He smiles at her gently.
She looks down at the penguin, not liking the touch as she flinches a bit, but she doesn't get frustrated with him. Instead, she glances down and then looks at the flapjacks.
"...I don't remember readin in the penguin book that ya can eat pancakes,"
"That's because humans don't know everything about us." Skipper snorts. "They just know what penguins let them know."
Bridget raises an eyebrow at them, not sure whether to believe them or not.
Then again, they are PENGUINS themselves and seem to know more about this unknown animal world than her, so does she trust a book by humans or words from penguins?...
Biting her lip, she shrugs. "Alright, but if ya get sick, it's not on me,"
She grabs the plate of pancakes...before not knowing where exactly to place them. It feels rude to just put it down on the ground like they are dogs.
The penguins hop up into chairs at her table.
'OH, that works!'
She comes around with the stack of flapjacks, as well as implements and syrup. She then notices how big the table is, and how they can only look over on their tippy toes.
"...Ya can uh...stand on the table if it helps,"
The penguins now hop up on the table with the granted permission.
Sighing, Bridget nods.
'K...everythin seems good so far'
They sit down there by their plates.
"Take as many as ya want," Bridget then walks away to the kitchen to get some water...and to calm her nerves a bit.
They nod and start on the flapjacks like they haven't eaten all day.
As she takes a big sip of her water, she carefully waits for them to finish before she starts talking. Wanting to time this conservation perfectly.
She had been rehearsing this for a few hours now.
The penguins soon enough finish up, making a large dent in the number of pancakes she had made.
Bridget takes a deep breath. "So...Uh—"
And completely messes up the first sentence. They look up at her and oh, how their stares at her do not help the woman think right.
"...I...I think we uh." Bridget rubs the back of her neck.
'Oh fuck, c'mon, speak or somethin, ya had the words all in your head, why can't ya say it now?'
"...I think we got off the wrong track when we...first met each other..."
The penguins look at her then each other and nod. "Yeah... I think we can agree with that."
Bridget nods, before sighing.
"...Look, I'm not uh...the nicest or most social person around and shit...and last night was...rough." Biting her lip, she goes to the freeze to get an ice pack.
"But...I think with how things are goin, we're probably gonna stick around each other longer than either of us anticipated., and so...I'm extendin my deal a bit,"
"...What do you have in mind?" Kowalski asks.
There is a pause.
"...I'll help ya get the parts ya need ta fix it...and I'll help ya rebuild it too,"
Kowalski looks surprised at this.
"'Kay, works for me." Skipper nods.
"But..."
"But?"
Bridget bites her lip. "...In exchange, I wanna be fixed...but I also want information involvin the machine,"
Skipper looks like he's about to argue, but Kowalski taps him with a nod. "What sort of information?"
Carefully, Bridget thinks through her words again. She is once again playing a game of chess. "Just... things like it's purpose and functions, or any other side effects ya might experience, or anythin that involves our situation. If I'm gonna help, then I can't be left in the dark with only knowin the word 'classified.'" She gives him a slight look before continuing.
"I'm not askin much, I'm not diggin inta your personal or secretive shit. Bold ta assume, but I'm sure ya'll like your privacy," She comes walking to the table and places down the ice pack in front of Kowalski.
"...I get ya don't trust me...and I'm not sure if I should trust ya myself...but I don't think our circumstances don't give us much of a choice," Her eyes are soft at the penguins and her voice is sincere.
"... I think... I think that sounds fair." Kowalski nods, getting the ice pack from her.
Bridget nods and looks at the others for their say.
The others share looks and nod.
"Yeah... As long as it isn't anything that classified." Skipper finally agrees.
Bridget nods again, satisfied with the conclusion they've come to. She then takes the empty plates up to the kitchen sink.
"Besides...ya'll did save me...I do owe ya a lil gratitude,"
"Well... You did already let us camp out here for the night. I'd call that even." Skipper shrugs.
Bridget nods, and looks at the clock. "Ya guys uh...need a ride?"
"Sure." He nods.
"K, give me a moment,"
She walks over to her room to get her stuff.
The penguins meanwhile hop down from the table and waddle to the living room.
Bridget comes back out with her backpack, skates, and a new jacket...or well, "new" but to anyone it looks like the same black jacket she wore last night.
Not a...lot of colors she wears besides black and grey.
"Took out some unnecessary things from the bag, should be less stuffed now,"
The penguins nod and waddle over to her.
'Okay, let's not be too talkative now'
Biting her lip, she places down the bag for them. "Hop in,"
0000000
The ride to the zoo is a little less awkward between the group. Although it is quiet still, they aren't as tense as yesterday. Bridget focuses on the ride while the boys get a view of the after storm morning.
"I see you kept the ladder." Skipper mutters.
Bridget blinks. "Uh...I did,"
"Useful thing to keep around."
The ginger nods with a light yawn. "Ya never know when ya need a ladder,"
'I'm more surprised ya didn't notice the extra clothes...in case ya fellas become human randomly...'
Skipper nods.
Kowalski looks over her shoulder. "Are we still on for the junkyard tonight?"
She nods again. "Yeah, after work I'll meetcha somewhere and give ya a ride. Sounds good?"
"Sounds good." He nods and clears his throat. "Thank you."
...Bridget didn't know exactly how to respond to a 'thanks'.
It's been so long since she's received one, so it feels...weird.
There is a pause...before she nods and continues on...
Or continues on before almost getting hit on the crosswalk by a car.
"AHH—" Bridget jumps at it. The four jump in the bag.
"HOOVER DAM. WATCH IT." Skipper shakes his little flipper fist at the car.
Bridget growls and kicks the car, before skating back to the sidewalk on her way. She lets out a big sigh and grumbles. "I don't like cities,"
"Better than Antarctica."
Her direction turns to the penguins, who too are probably a little shaken from the car. She sighs a bit. "Ya don't say?"
"Yeah. Everything's trying to eat you there."
Bridget's eyes widen slightly.
Despite the fact most of her mental questions about everything seem to be about the generalization of things...she's never really questioned the penguins themselves. Of course, she knows asking these questions would lead to her never gaining answers, and would be a waste of her time...but she is curious.
Did they live in Antarctica? How did they end up in New York? Their relationship with one another...are they just paired up soldiers or friends? Maybe even brothers in arms? If they're agents then why are they in a zoo?... Is it for undercover?
Bridget for a moment becomes caught up in questions that she forgets to answer back and the penguins don't elaborate further with her silence.
'...OH SHIT, I FORGOT TO ANSWER—'
With a slight jump, she answers back. "Oh, uh, yeah I wouldn't think Antarctica is a nice place ta live,"
"Went back and visited a few years ago...Still sucks."
A scoff comes out of Bridget, but it was soft.
"I'm sure the weather up there is nice," she adds sarcastically.
"Nope. It's cold. Way too cold." Kowalski shakes his head.
"But you're penguins? Aren'tcha suppose ta survive cold stuff?"
"Survive and enjoy are two different things." He shakes his head. "Just because you can endure the cold doesn't mean it's delightful."
"And not all penguins live in Antarctica. Like, there's some in Africa! We didn't get to meet them, but I've read about them." Private chirps.
"Now Madagascar wasn't half bad climate-wise...Just had too many lemurs for my liking." Skipper adds.
Noticing how many conversations are around, Bridget doesn't exactly know how to answer at first. She takes a few moments to think before responding.
"That's true, touché, I suppose desert creatures for example don't always enjoy the heat," She answers Kowalski first before answering the other two.
"Yeah, I've read there's some in Africa, but also Australia and South America too. They're all more in warmer climates. And lemurs aren't bad...but I'm not a fan of the ones at the zoo,"
"Yeah, the ones that stowed away from Madagascar with us." Skipper rolls his eyes.
Bridget is about to ask but stops herself midway.
'You were about ta ask them a personal question. Ya promised not ta, c'mon now, quit bein so talkative'
..Biting her lip, Bridget just nods and continues on.
The penguins get more settled in the bag behind her. At least complaining about Antarctica had gotten the near-accident off their minds.
Soon, they've finally arrived back at the zoo, and on time too.
Bridget rolls closer to the park than the entrance.
"This a good place ta drop ya off?"
"Yep, this works." Skipper nods and the four jump out of the pack. They wave to her before they slide off to the wall which they promptly jump up onto.
'...WHAT THE FUCK'
Bridget stares at the wall and where the penguins jumped, making a little angry face for a moment.
'Fuckin...penguins jumpin over shit so easily my god—'
But as she starts to skate, she stops and remembers they've waved at her...
And Bridget...thought that was nice. It seems their partnership is getting better...and she kinda likes that.