Hiya! So... I used to write POM fanfictions a long time ago. I recently started watching the show again for nostalgia and ended up wanting to write maybe one last story. So I made a new account and here I am...yeah...Uhh. If this doesn't end up getting any reads or reviews I'll probably just trash it. If you're reading this, I sincerely hope you enjoy! Leave me some feedback so I know someone actually wants me to continue.
Prologue
The icy winds of Antarctica pelted the elder penguin's face. He had been used to the brutal chill for quite some time, so it hardly fazed him. His focus was rather set on the younger penguin standing in front of him, his orange, webbed toes concealed in the snow. The younger penguin was on the chubbier side, and he was not the tallest, especially compared to the elder. His eyes were icy blue. Just like his heart, thought the elder. In between the two adults, a tiny penguin sat in the midst, his down feathers dusted in frost. He shivered, longing to burrow in between his father's feet. Unfortunately, he knew he was not invited, so he chose to stand in the freezing wind.
"It is in your instincts! He is your responsibility now," the elder spat to the other, a smooth British accent rolled off his tongue.
"I can't do this without her…" the shorter penguin said, shooting the baby penguin in between them a pitiful glance. The hatchling looked back up at his father, his bright blue eyes sparkling desperately. "I just can't."
The elder penguin ruffled his feathers, snow ripping off them and flying into the wind. "You can't just let the poor lad starve. He's depending on you!" he pleaded.
"This was all her idea! I didn't want to follow the flock, I didn't ask for this," the younger argued.
"Neither did he!" the British penguin spewed, pointing a flipper at the baby penguin.
"Nigel…" the other said, his tone growing deep as if threatening to raise it any higher in anger.
"Don't you see that he's all we have left of Charlotte?" The penguin named Nigel said, raising his voice above the harsh wind.
The penguin looked down at his boy, tears stinging his eyes. He blinked them away, doing his best not to stare at the child for too long, for it would have changed his mind; his mind that he had spent all night making up. "He's…a painful reminder. A reminder of her face, a reminder of her spirit, a reminder of what she talked me into…"
"You know she wanted a child—" Nigel started but was harshly cut off by his brother in law.
"And look where that got her!" the other shouted.
Suddenly, the elder struck the penguin out of anger, his flipper gliding across his face. The slap was barely audible over the wind. The flock of black and white penguins in the distance could not have heard it over the windstorm brewing. The younger penguin stood emotionless, a single tear streaking down his face as he gave his ex-brother in law one last glance.
"Goodbye, Nigel," he spoke harshly.
Nigel didn't stop him as the other waddled away to the flock, not evening glancing at his son for a final goodbye.
"You bloody coward…" Nigel said beneath the wind.
The baby penguin picked up his little feet and started to waddle after his father, but he was too slow. Confused, he stretched out his flippers to him, hoping he would turn around and notice he had forgotten him. Alas, his father disappeared into the snowy wind, never to be seen again. The tiny penguin shivered, suddenly growing scared. Standing a yard away, he waddled around and locked eyes with the elder. Nigel choked back a sob, reading the doomed future radiating in the bright blue crystals of the boy's eyes. He brushed those horrible thoughts aside, lowering his brow and ruffling his feathers again. He waddled over to the boy, inviting him to take shelter in between his feet. The baby penguin immediately accepted the offer, running over and nuzzling in Nigel's feathers.
"Come now, lad. Let's find you some chow. Uncle Nigel swears to you, everything is going to be okay," he said gently.
The baby penguin started to nod off sleepily in the midst of Nigel's feet, probably feeling the most comfortable he'd been in a while. Nigel looked down at him adoringly, knowing his future had suddenly taken a turn for the best.
"Ace…"