A\N: Okay, in the previous A\N, I meant Night of Surprises (still working title) was written by AlwaysRemainMe( now GreenShai) and TheSkySpiritsTalentShow. Anyway, here´s the second chapter! xD And thnx 4 the reviews!
"It means," Skipper glanced at the door. "That we´re stuck in here with some crazy killer on the loose."
Silence. Then panic.
Most of the crew ran around; screaming, yelling, being terrified.
Except Fey. She started rubbing her chin thoughtfully, before glaring at the mass of panic. "EVERYONE! SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN!" The red panda yelled.
The others stopped panicking.
"What good does it do if you all scream around, and lead the killer right to us?!"
That scared the others into dead silence.
"Okay, so how are we going to do this?" Fey said.
Skipper looked at his lieutenant. "Kowalski?"
The brainiac started writing away. "I say we split into three teams. One team finds the jamming transmitter and disables it so we can radio for help. The other two teams corner this assassin and secures him. We´ll need weapons-"
Sounds of metals and other material hitting the floor interrupted him. Rico proudly presented his pile of weapons.
"And some ropes, flashlights, maybe even handcuffs, a tazer just to be safe and of course, the three teams."
Everything else except the last item was coughed up by the wonder penguin.
Skipper nodded in approval.
"Okay," The leader said. "My team and I will be one team, Julian and Marlene the other and the authors the last group."
"Wait a minute!" AT cut in. "Who said you get to pick the teams?"
"Cause I´m in charge."
"No way!"
"I don´t want to be with him!" Marlene complained, pushing away the annoying Katta trying to put his arm round her shoulder.
"How about we write our names on a piece of paper and put them in one cup, then the team numbers 1, 2 or 3 on other slips and then pull out both a name and number? That way we can create teams!" Private suggested.
"That´s a very good idea!" His otter friend praised.
"Thanks!"
AT quickly did what he said and then started to pull out the first two slips.
"Rico, group two." She read and put the papers aside.
"Skipper, group one."
"Kowalski, group two."
"Up high!" Rico cheered, holding up his flipper.
Kowalski rolled his eyes, but slapped it anyway.
"Fey, group three."
"Marlene, group one."
The otter looked at Skipper, trying to decide whenever to be happy or dreadful.
"AT, group two." The author looked at the two penguins in front of her.
Rico shrugged. "Ok."
"Anyway, we have Private for group one."
"Welcome on the team, soldier." Skipper said.
"Could you please not interrupt every time I read a name?" When no one said anything, AT read the last name.
"Julian, group three."
The King cast a glance at Fey. "So…is that meaning I´m with the orange panda?"
"Yeah…" Fey said.
The king rushed over to her side and put his arm around her. "You can call me fur face…" He purred.
Kowalski glared at him.
Fey pushed the annoying lemur away.
"Okay, so, everyone ready?" She asked.
All of the sudden, something crashed downstairs and the sound of a door being slammed shut echoed throughout the almost empty house.
The animals (plus one human) looked at each other in horror.
"N-no." Marlene squeaked.
Something slithered around her shoulders. She almost yelped, then realized it was Skipper´s wing.
"Don´t worry, doll face. We have everything under control." The penguin reassured her.
All three teams chose weapons from the pile Rico had regurgitated.
"And Rico," His leader gave him a stern look. "No blowing crazy assassins up."
"Awww man!" The maniac disabled a bomb. "Wy not?"
"Because, your bombs might not only blow up the guy, but also the whole house. That or blow a big part of the building away, causing it to collapse." His brainiac friend explained.
Rico sighed and disabled another ten bombs.
"Okay, how about this?" AT said. "We´ll search for the transmitter, while you two corner that guy."
"Splendid ide-" Skipper started then frowned at her. "Oh wait it´s you. It´s a stupid idea, but we´ll go with it anyway.
He waved a flipper and slid off. Private followed him, picking out two flashlights on the way out. Marlene was right behind them.
The other two groups separated too.
(Group One)
"Okay, so what´s the plan?" Marlene asked, holding her wrench closer to her chest. Group 1 was currently sneaking around. Skipper seemed to be the only one who didn´t jump at every single noise.
"No plan yet, Marlene. We make it up as we go along."
"But Skippah!" The British soldier behind him protested. "I thought Manfredi and Johnson said the same thing!"
"They did, young Private, and even though they never got out, we might have better luck."
"Wait, where are Manfredi and Johnson?" The girl behind the two penguins asked.
Skipper shrugged casually. "Alcatraz. Some invisible force dragged them there by their feet and locked them up to die."
Private shuddered. "I can still hear their screaming…"
As if on cue, someone screamed.
(Group Two)
Rico, AT and Kowalski all stood at the entrance to the basement. No one moved. Just stared into the darkness.
"So…do you want to go first?" Kowalski finally asked the girl.
"No way, Rico goes first!"
"Na-uh! Walski!"
"And why in the name of Kepler´s seven siblings should I-" The genius started, but was interrupted by his own scream as Rico gave him a shove down a few steps.
He let out another manly scream and came running up like a tough penguin soldier yelling, "NO! NO! I DON´T WANT TO END UP BY THE CORPSES!"
While Rico was laughing his face off, AT slapped him. "Shhhhh! Do you want the killer to hear us?!"
Kowalski whimpered.
His maniac friend kept choking on his giggles, till finally the other penguin said, "If you think this is so funny, why don´t you go first?"
Rico stopped laughing.
"Yeah, you don´t seem to fear him." AT said cheerfully. "Don´t worry, we´ll be right behind you."
The scarred bird scowled darkly, then choked up a light and shone his light down the steps. He cautiously started to climb down. AT and Kowalski were right behind him.
(Group Three)
"Who isn´t longing for? Someone to fold? Who knows how to shove you, without being cold! Someone be telling me, why I´m on the road. If there´s a coal mate for neveryone!"
Julian sang his way through the hallway.
Fey face palmed. "Julian, you´re singing it wrong!"
"Oh? You are thinking you can be doing it better than your king?" The other huffed.
"Yes, actually I can!" The Red Panda agreed.
"Who doesn´t long for, someone to hold? Who knows how to love you without being told? Somebody tell me why I´m on my own. If there´s a soul mate for everyone. HA! The REAL version!"
"Pfft! Lame! You left out the coals! And anyway, you can´t be lowly!"
"You mean lonely?"
"Exactly! As I was saying, you´re definitely heels over head* with this smarty pants Kowalski dude!"
Fey turned around and began hitting the Katta.
The lemur immediately raised his arms to protect himself and cried out.
"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! OWWWWW! Would you be stopping that, Orange panda?! OW!"
Fey crossed her arms and glared. "Don´t ever say that again! Kowalski is an immature jerk!"
Julian rubbed his arm where she hit him. "You´re excusing yourself!" He insisted.
"Let´s just continue looking for that guy."
(Group one)
"Um, Skipper?" Marlene asked. Skipper turned his head slightly to look at her. "What?"
"What do you actually plan to do when we find that guy?"
"Hmm…" The penguin turned back to the hallway ahead of him. "Not much, just tie him up, beat him a bit, knock him unconscious then throw him into jail for a few years."
"Okay…"
"Unless he finds us first." Private muttered subconsciously, holding his flashlight close to his chest.
The two animals stopped in front of him.
"Wh-what?" Marlene asked.
Private looked up surprised. "What what?"
"Do you really think he could be watching us right now?" The otter asked Skipper.
The penguin tried to shrug casually. Well as casual as you can locked up with an assassin in a big house and having the feeling someone´s watching you. "Nah." He said. "Let´s continue."
Unbeknownst to the party, someone was watching them. Someone who had set his eyes on his next victims.
(Group Two)
"Do you see anything?" AT whispered.
Rico shook his head. "Yur welcomed to go first!" he offered.
The other quickly shook her head. "I´m fine."
The scarred penguin muttered something under his breath, maybe curses, as he continued to lead the rest down the stairs.
Kowalski clung to AT´s foot. "Who or what do you think is down there?"
"I don´t know, you´re the genius here!" Then the author shuddered. "I just thought of what would´ve happened if you guys didn´t come. We´d be all alone in this creepy house with the killer. At least now, he has different victims and we have sacrifices to throw at him."
"HEY!" Rico said, turning his head to glare at her.
Kowalski let go of her leg and stepped back.
"We´re here." The weapon experts said in front.
All three stepped onto the cold concrete of the floor and stared into the darkness.
(Group Three)
"I´m hungry~!" Fey complained.
"Me too!" Julian agreed. He sounded annoyed at the lack of food for a moment, but then a look of worry passed over his features.
"But we are having to get going! The killer might be close!"
"The killer can wait till I have a full stomach!" Fey responded and lowered her weapon. She marched right into the kitchen.
"Orange Panda!" The Katta hissed, pulling at her arm. "We can´t stop for a snack!"
"We can too!" Fey jumped up. "Now let´s see what the owners have left for us…ooh! Bananas and mangoes!" She grinned down at the king.
Julian looked at the fruits and slowly started to smile himself. "Are you thinking what I am thinking?"
"SMOOTHIES!"
…
Everyone jumped as they heard a weird buzzing noise coming from the kitchen.
"HE´S GOT A CHAINSAW! EVERYONE FOLLOW ME!" Skipper yelled and slid away. He could´ve left out that last part, Marlene and Private didn´t even have to think as they ran\slid after him.
The buzzing noise was so loud, it even reached down to the basement.
Rico hugged Kowalski fearfully. "Chainsaw psycho!"
"Wait a minute!" The genius said. "If he´s in the kitchen, then we´re safe down here."
"Yea, guez we ar." Rico sighed and let go of his friend.
"Guys, what if he has a partner?"
The two penguins jumped up and looked at each other in horror.
And the chainsaw noise continued sounding throughout the house.
AT grabbed Rico and Kowalski and ran back upstairs. They were just in time to crash into Group one.
"Did you hear that?" Private asked fearfully, hiding behind Skipper.
"You mean, are you hearing that?" Marlene said, also from behind het lead penguin.
"Guys, where´s Fey?" AT said, looking around fearfully for her sister.
"Maybe upstairs."
Then all of the sudden, another noise joined the chainsaw…music.
Skipper gave the others a questioning look. "What the fish?"
They slid\ran to the kitchen.
And opened the door just to see…
Fey and Julian drinking smoothies and laughing, the radio blaring next to them and the mixer mixing drinks.
"Hello neighbors!" The Katta cried happily as he spotted them by the doorway.
"Do you guys want a smoothie too?" Fey asked. She held out a cup. Then she dropped it again when Skipper glared at her.
"What the deuce are you guys doing?!" He barked.
"Having a total epic smoothie break!" Julian cheered.
"But- don´t you- ugh! Ugh! UGH!" Skipper buried his face in his flippers.
"Don´t you get it?! By making a lot of noise, you´re gonna lead the killer right to you! That´s why we´re sneaking around!"
Fey looked unimpressed at her sister. Then she grinned. "Then we´ll offer him some smoothies too!"
She and Julian started laughing together.
"Are they drunk?" Private whispered to Kowalski.
The genius was clenching his flippers. "No. They´re hyper." He looked at the empty sugar bowl and a spoon dripping with honey.
"Uggghhhh!" Was all the lead penguin said. Or moaned.
"How about we just give them jobs to do that´ll give them busy so we can continue without any interruptions?" Marlene offered.
"Don´t be silly, Marlene. I have a better idea!" Skipper said and walked over to the still giggling mammals. "Fey and Ringtail, you´ll get some jobs to do around here so we can continue searching without getting interrupted. Understood?"
"Understood, Skippy!" Fey said and ruffled his head feathers.
Skipper slapped her paw away and tried to flatten the standing feathers down. They stayed standing up and made him looked rather ridiculous.
"Hey, that´s exactly what I said!" His otter friend complained.
"Marlene, just because I have a good idea, doesn´t mean you get to steal it." He replied, still running his flippers over his feathers.
AT took out a cup of water. "Here, let me help!" She dumped the water on his head.
It helped, but Skipper didn´t seem to appreciate it.
"What should we do?" Julian asked, swinging upside down the lamp. He was sipping a mango-banana smoothie and some of it was dripping down.
The animals underneath it scattered, not to get wet. "How about…dusting?" Rico regurgitated some feather dusters and gave the two one each.
"Fine…" Fey picked up a smoothie cup and the radio and trotted out.
Julian jumped down and ran after her.
Kowalski turned to his leader.
"Um, sir? Shouldn´t someone stay with them for protection or something?"
Skipper gave him a look. "Negative. We need all the help we can get to catch this sicko. Except smoothie-drunk mammals. Team one, roll out!"
Said group disappeared out the kitchen and down the hall.
AT sighed. "Let´s go back to the basement."
(Group Three)
"Dusting, dusting, dusting! I´m dusting!" Julian sang as he used his tail to hold the moving duster.
Fey jumped onto the TV and dusted the screen. "This place is filthy." She coughed.
"I am knowing right?"
"Julian, in modern civilization, you say IKR. It sounds cooler!"
The king tested his new knowledge out.
"I am IKR that this place is dusty!"
"Sounds better…well almost!" Fey giggled and jumped off the TV.
Julian climbed onto a shelf, dusted off a picture of a sunset before jumping down on the couch. He flew up a few feet before falling back onto the cushion. The couch was so bouncy that it catapulted him off its surface.
"Wow! Orange Panda! You have to be trying this!"
He got up and climbed back onto the shelf.
"Let me try!" Fey joined him on the top ledge. She closed her eyes and counted.
Too long obviously, cuz the Katta behind her gave her a shove and sent her down the bookshelf onto the bouncy surface.
" JULIAN!"
"It is being fun, no?" The lemur jumped down after her. Unfortunately, Fey hadn´t had enough time to get off. Julian landed right next to her, causing the two to bounce up and then tumble onto the floor.
"Ugggh!" The Red Panda groaned, rubbing her head. She noticed a heavy weight on top of her.
The king had tumbled off the couch and landed right on top of her. But before she could push him away or say anything, the door opened to the living room.
"Hey, guys. We just need to get our-" AT stopped when she saw the couple on the floor. "What are you doing?" She asked.
Kowalski and Rico slid in. "I remember seeing the rifle around here somewhere!" The genius was saying.
He slid past the mammal heap and jumped onto a small table. Then he scratched his head. "It should be lieing around here somewhere!"
"Oh! Tere! I see id!" Rico pointed the other side of the wall.
Kowalski was just about to jump down and get it, when his eyes finally shifted to Fey and Julian. For a second, his beak dropped open.
But the look of disbelief passed on quickly and he clenched his jaw shut.
Group Three took the rifle and awkwardly walked out again.
Fey was thankful for her fur, that didn´t give away the fact that she was blushing profusely. Julian, for once, kept his mouth shut and grabbed his duster from off the ground.
They resumed dusting.
(Group Two)
"Okay, Rico. How many bullets are there in that rifle?" AT asked as they walked back to the basement. Kowalski was strolling silently behind them.
"Uhm, one, twoo, t´ree, for, five, six an´ seven." The weapon experts counted. Then he tripped over his own feet and one bullet fell out.
"Make that six." He corrected himself.
Kowalski kicked away the bullet, deeply in thought.
"Look, Kowalski, I don´t think that they really had something together." AT tried to cheer him up.
But the genius looked at her confused. "What are you talking about? I´m thinking about the jamming transmitter. Skipper said that the guy probably hid it in the basement, but it could be somewhere else."
"Yeah, but right now the basement is our best guess."
"Maybe so."
"Hey guys! Izn´t id funnie how in tha movies, people always splid up and ged killed that way?" Rico said casually.
The other two groaned.
"Thanks a lot for bringing that up!"
"Yu´r welcomed."
(Group one)
"I can´t believe those mammals! Here we are, trying to catch a murderer, and they´re out throwing a smoothie party! With music!"
Skipper muttered to himself.
"No, Skippy. You´re just jealous you didn´t get invited." Marlene teased.
The officer stared at her.
"Okay…maybe not."
"Skippah, are you certain that that guy is still in this house?"
"Of course, why wouldn´t he be?"
"Well, don´t you find it strange that even after we made that big of a racket, he still hadn´t shown up yet?"
"…"
"Well done, Pri." The otter groaned. "Now I´m going to throw up."
"No way, miss! You keep those stomach contents where they belong!" Skipper commanded.
"Tell that to my stomach!" She argued.
"Shhh!" The British penguin suddenly shushed them. "Do you hear that?"
A small pebble bounced toward them.
Marlene shrieked and hid behind Skipper.
The leader took several steps back.
A shiny bullet rested at Private´s feet.
"What is-"
"DON´T PICK IT UP SOLDIER!"
The rookie jumped back. "Why not?"
"It could rig an explosion of deadly nerve gasses!"
"Hm, no, I think it´s just a normal bullet." Marlene confirmed, turning the small object around in her paw.
"Fish and chips, Marlene!" Skipper slapped it out of her hand. "Are you trying to get us killed?!"
"Ouch!" The girl complained.
"Skippah, it´s just a normal bullet."
"Thank you Private!" She smiled at him.
The lead penguin looked enviously at the two. Then he cleared his throat loudly.
"Let´s just continue!"
(Group three)
It wasn´t too long after the other group disappeared that Julian started to laugh.
"What?" Fey asked, still a bit annoyed at who knows who for that awkward moment back there.
"I was just thinking how funny that was before!"
"Yeah, very funny! Kowalski probably thought we were going to do couple stuff or something!"
Julian remained quiet, but an amused grin was still plastered on his face.
"Okay, I´m done!" Fey said. She put her feather duster down.
"I am too!" The Katta followed her example and then looked around. "Now what is being what?"
"What?"
"Now what, is what I meant."
"Oh, I suppose we could order a few things…" Their gaze moved toward the pillows strewn around on the floor.
Julian sighed. "Let´s start then."
(Group two)
"So we´re back where we started." Kowalski whispered into the darkness.
No one else answered. They all continued to stare into the black corner, right there where the corpse should be.
"Let´s move then." AT suggested, but she, instead of stepping forward, stepped back behind the two penguins.
"Bud yu go first tis time!" Rico said. He gave her leg a push.
"Fine, cuz the two trained soldiers are too afraid to go first, the girl is going to have to make the first move!"
The penguins nodded and Kowalski handed her the flashlight.
AT sighed and took it. She shone the beam around, finally resting it on a dull shine in the corner.
"Right over there…" the brainiac behind her whispered.
"I know!"
"Then why aren´t you moving?"
"Cause I´m scared."
"Then let the adrenaline take over."
"I´m not addicted to adrenaline rushes. How about you get all high from it and take over?"
"No thank you."
"Then stop pushing me! I´m going when I feel like it!"
Kowalski rolled his eyes, but stayed silent.
Finally, AT took a deep breath and walked a few steps forward, immediately looking to see if the penguins are actually following her.
They were.
The three inched closer. They could barely make out the thin outlines of the torture devices.
"Where´s the corpse?" Kowalski whispered.
Rico shrugged. "Skippa waz tha one who saw id." He said.
AT shone her light around the metal devices. "Yeah, but it´s not here. At all."
It was true. They were at the same spot Skipper was, but the body was gone.
"Maybe it stood up and walked away. Maybe it´s even walking around in this house." Kowalski said, meaning it as a sarcastic joke. But the others took him seriously and clung to him in fear.
The genius shook his head in disbelief.
(Group three)
"The last pillow!" Fey groaned. She flung it onto the couch and collapsed in heavy pants.
"But it was just being three pillows to pick up. Why are you so tired?" The other asked her confused.
"Cuz I´m not used to work. I usually ask my sister with a sweet smile if she could do it for me. Works every time." The Red panda grinned guiltily.
"I just have to smile and Mort would do everything!" King Julian boasted.
"Well, I have probably more worshipers than you!" The other teased him.
"Not true! No one is more beloved as the king!" The lemur huffed annoyed and glared at her.
"Oh yeah?" Fey laughed as if she doesn´t believe him.
"Yeah! Do not be questioning your king!" Her partner said, offended.
"Oops, I just did." She stuck out her tongue at Julian and jumped down from the couch.
The lemur chased her around the room, throwing pillows and shouting, "OFF WITH HER HEAD!"
A\N: Actually, I wanted to continue, but my mind is blank and this chapter is already long. xD So review people if you liked it. If you have something to criticize about this chapter, please tell me. X) Good morning\day\night, people! ^x^