CHAPTER 2

A council meeting was held the very next day. Every lemur attended, along with Marty, Alex, Gloria and Melman. King Julien sat in his throne inside the plane, ashamed to be seen without his very valuable crown. Maurice introduced him, as well as introducing the problem.

Then it was King Julien's turn to speak. "As you know, we already have bad relationships with the dreaded Fusa," he explained, "But now they have crossed the line. They have stolen my precious crown!"

Shocked gasps from the crowd echoed through the room.

"Yes, they are holding it ransom for 5 million dollars, requesting it in exactly one week!" cried the King, waving his arms about.

"5 million dollars!" a alarmed voice from the crowd called out to King Julien. "How are you expected to pay that much in so little time?"

Loud agreements were called out from the large crowd attending the meeting. King Julien shook his head. "I don't know how! We don't have very much…" he pulled out his piggybank, and emptied it. Only a few coins fell out. "We don't have very much at all…"

"What are your plans of action?" a lemur shouted out to him.

"Plans of action?" King Julien said. "I don't know, try to raise some money, something…" he turned to Maurice. "Maurice, did we have any plans of action?"

But Maurice was not there. "Maurice? Maurice!" yelped King Julien, but he was nowhere. "Where did he go…" he muttered…

Maurice ran through the jungle, heading towards the beach. He jumped over every exotic plant and rock in the jungle, looking for what he was desperate for. He searched and searched, trying to find it. He strained his eyes, looking for any signs, but unsuccessfully. He looked until he lost track of where he was. He was hopelessly lost, unaware of where the lemurs were and where the beach was. For all he knew, he could be in Fusa territory. Then he realized - HOLY CRAP! Fusa territory? He looked around, but saw nothing.

He hoped he would find his way.

Then he heard rustling. It wasn't his body shaking…it was something - or someone - in the woods ahead of him…he felt his heart pounding…

Then finally the vines and plants that lay between him and the noise were torn apart, and what stood in front of him was a penguin holding a machete, with a fashionable fanny pack with gear hung on it and a cool army-colored hat.

Maurice was so relieved he nearly fainted. It was what he was looking for; the four psychotic penguins: Skipper, Private, Kowalski and Rico.

Skipper, holding the machete came forward.

"Skipper," Maurice said, letting out a sigh of relief. "I've been looking for you."

"Who are you?" Skipper asked suspiciously, "What would a lemur want with four penguins?"

The three other penguins eased forward, taking cautious peeks at Maurice. "Well, um…"

"Spit it out!" Skipper yelled.

Maurice opened his mouth and said, "Well, we really need your help…" Maurice looked at them hopefully. "Look - did you know King Julien lost his crown? And that the Fusa took it?" he asked them.

"No," they all shook their heads. Then Skipper replied, waving his machete around, "And what does that mean to four penguins?"

"Well," Maurice began, "I was hoping you guys could help. You know, considering you guys are so strong -" hey, it always helps to compliment someone when you need them to do something for you "-maybe you could get the crown back."

"You mean," Skipper said mysteriously, "wander into Fusa territory, do a daring, dangerous, life-threatening, challenging, risky, seemingly impossible task, probably fight against the Fusa, and attempt to return with King Julien's crown, even if we are vastly outnumbered?" By the end of his speech, he was right in Maurice's face.

Maurice could understand why they might not want to, but they were his and King Julien's last hope to get the crown back, without having to cough up 5 million dollars, which quite frankly they didn't have. So, with a painful look on his face, he nodded, because he couldn't think of anything else to say or do.

"Hmmm…" Skipper said. "Seems reasonable, don't you think?"

Private, Kowalski and Rico nodded agreeably. "Yeah, very doable."

"I mean, after all, who has the moves?" Skipper bragged, a gleaming, proud but boastful look on his face. "High-fives!" he yelled and held up his tiny flippers, which all three penguin pals slapped.

He then looked at Maurice, who had a confused, just plan weirded out look. "Well, then," Maurice broke the silence. "Will you follow m-" Skipper suddenly cut him off.

"Wait, lemur," he said. "What's in it for us?"

Maurice rolled his eyes. "Normally, I'd require it just be out of your generosity, but since we're so lucky to have you doing this…I'll make you fresh sushi for a week."

"Two weeks!" Skipper haggled.

Maurice sighed and said reluctantly, "Fine! Two weeks! Now will you please just follow me?"

Skipper high-fived all his comrades again, and he followed Maurice, who was waddling, a few steps. Then he stopped. "Wait…I'm lost…do you know where our meeting place is?" he asked them.

"Kowalski!" Skipper commanded. His tall right-hand-penguin appeared next to him. "Map, please!"

Kowalski took out his map and gazed across it for a minute. His eyes showed that he was deep in thought and concentration. "Skipper, sir, I've found it." He takes out a compass and glares at it for a second. He then points to the side of where they were walking. "This way!" he declared.

"Good job, Kowalski," Skipper told him. "Now! March!" he said, and Maurice, annoyed, followed the penguins' march all the way to the base, which was successfully located.

Inside, the meeting was proceeding. When they walked in, King Julien was telling the crowd about what his crown looked like, and a police-sketch-artist was sketching it for him.

"Um, none of this will be needed!" Maurice declared.

"MAURICE!" yelled King Julien, leaping up and walking towards Maurice. "Don't you disappear like that! I was about to send a search party out for you!"

"Okay, okay!" Maurice said, pushing the King aside and holding his hands up to control the very rowdy, noisy crowd. Silence immediately filled the room, as Maurice announced. "No money will be needed. Instead, these kind penguins will go into the Fusa Territory and bring back the King's crown!"

Cheering, much, MUCH cheering was heard. The penguins smiled proudly and Skipper waved at everyone. The crowd jumped for them.

"OKAY, OKAY, ENOUGH!" bellowed King Julien. "What qualifications do you have? We need a demonstrator…Maurice!" Maurice shyly stepped up beside the penguins, eyeing them very cautiously. "Maurice is strong, will you please attempt to fight Maurice?"

"Julien, I'm very sure they're qualified, it's really not necess-" But Skipper was already stomping on his foot. "OWW!" he screamed. Skipper slapped him and kicked him in his stomach. When he bent down, he put him in a headlock. The other penguins jumped on top of him and the weight forced him on the ground. "Give up, Lemur?" Skipper said, still firmly holding the headlock.

"Yes! Yes!" Maurice yelled. They all released him.

"Yes, you seem qualified for this job…I give it the okay!" he stood, and the crowd cheered and cheered again. The cheering and yelling went nonstop and King Julien stood proudly. Maurice, whimpering, struggled to stand, but finally did. "That's what you get, Maurice, for not addressing me by 'King Julien'."

Maurice rolled his eyes once again. He plunked down on the floor, clearly tired and worn from his encounter with the penguins. "Next time you should demonstrate," he muttered under his breath.

King Julien and the penguins bowed as the cheering continued.