Chapter 4
"Boy, It looks like there's a gathering here." Skipper observed when they saw all the animals lined up. "What's happening here?"
"I'll ask." Marlene told the penguin. She looked at a little anteater. "Um, excuse me kid." The anteater turned to Marlene. "But what's happening? Why are all you guys lined up like this? Are you getting autographs or something?"
"Oh, we're just in line to get inventions from the coolest inventors in the zoo."
"In the zoo?" Marlene wanted to know. "Inventors?"
"Yeah!" The little hippo added. "Clarence and Kowalski, they're the best! Do you know them? If not, you should, they rock!"
"Kowalski?" Skipper wanted to know. He then looked serious. He went in front of the line.
"Hay!" An adult Crocodile spoke up. "You got to wait in line buddy."
"Sorry." Skipper replied. "But I know one of the inventors,"
The animals made a path for them. Kowalski and Clarence have just sold a PeakDew jetpack bottle to a little Ostritch.
"Look daddy!" The Ostrich said. He activated it, and blasted off. "I CAN FLY! WHO-HOO!"
The Ostrich then landed next to his father then left after saying thanks to the inventors.
"Next!" Kowalski called. "Who wants this state of the art, baking soda volcano?" He tapped a volcano model beside him, and then noticed Skipper.
"Skipper!" Kowalski fell of his chair, started. "This is California. What are you doing here?"
"Getting you back." He answered.
"What? We've been separated, what you mean?" Skipper paced back and forth.
"I can't live without my men Kowalski. You're coming home no matter what Alice says. Go on, pack up, and let's go." Kowalski stood up.
"What, are you crazy?! I can't leave, I like it here. This is home."
"New York is your home, the Central Park Zoo with me, Private, and Rico."
"But Skipper," Kowalski interjected. "I made new friends here. If I leave, who will operate the stand?"
"Forget about it Kowalski." Skipper said. "You're coming home with me one way or another. Forget about science for once, and remember who you real friends are." Kowalski gasped.
"Forget about science?!" Kowalski wanted to know. "Skipper, how can you say that? Science is everything to me." The tall penguin narrowed his eyes,
"I'm just trying to get you back soldier. Can't you see? Science ruined our friendship."
"What you're talking about?! Science didn't ruin it. In fact, science gave all of us life on this planet. It's called our Deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA for short. Without it, we wouldn't be standing here today and having this conversation. We wouldn't even exist."
"You mean without DNA, bossy penguin wouldn't exist?" Julien asked.
"Correct." Kowalski replied. "Without DNA, all of us wouldn't have been born." Julien then went to the center, got on his hands and knees, and shouted up at the sky.
"CURSE YOU DNA!!!!" He yelled. "Why did you have to make bossy penguin here." Skipper narrowed his eyes at the lemur. "Oh, and I thank you for making me, because well you know I'm irresistible, but why bossy penguin, why?!"
"Thank you for making me, DNA!" Mort explained. "Thank you very…" Julien knocked Mort on the head.
"Quiet Mort!" Julien told him. "No one cares okay!? They all care about me; I am the king after all."
"Sorry." Mort apologized, and then fainted.
"Skipper." Kowalski continued. "I can't come home with you." Skipper put his flippers on his hips, looking mad.
"And why not?!" The flightless bird wanted to know.
"I know you miss us." Kowalski said. "But you just can't kidnap me, and take me back."
"And why not?!"
"Take a look around you Skipper." Skipper looked around. "All of these animals are science nerds like me, they absolutely love it. I belong here, with my own kind, how can you not see that?"
"Skipper, I'm not going back and that is fina…" Clarence then put his arm around his friend.
"Go." He told him. "Be with your friends and leave this place." Kowalski was confused. He looked at the koala.
"But what about the stand?" He asked. Clarence moved toward the booth.
"Don't worry." He said. "I'll take care of the stand; you just go with your friends and enjoy yourself."
"But, but…"
"Look, I know science is important to you, but you got to take a break, and do something you enjoy, you can't forget what the greatest invention ever made."
"What's that?"
"True friendship." Kowalski looked at Skipper and sighed.
"You're right Clarence. Nothing beats the power of friendship."
"There you go!" Clarence urged. "Now you're getting it! Go back with them all and enjoy yourself."
"I will." Kowalski told the koala bear. "And thank you for reminding me of that special power."
"No problem." Kowalski then looked serious.
"Skipper." He said. "Let's go get our friends back."
"Now that's the Kowalski I know." Skipper exclaimed. "Glad to have you back."
"Actually Skipper, it kind of feels nice to be back. Now let's roll!" All the animals cheered as Skipper, Kowalski, and the gang departed.
"Bye Kowalski!" Clarence called after him. "Remember to never ever forget about your friends!"
"I won't!" Kowalski promised, and waved back. "How can I ever forget about the powers of friendship?"
"Because we'll be here in case you do forget." Skipper told his friend.
"You most certainly will." The tall bird responded. With that, the penguins went to their next destination, the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.
When they got to the aquarium, they asked the marine animals where Rico was. After they got directions from a walrus, they got to the penguin aquarium.
"Boys," Skipper told the group." He noticed Marlene glaring at him. "And Marlene." Marlene smiled. "Here's the drift, we get Rico then we're out of here. Capeech?" The animals agreed. Skipper turned to the aquarium. "Now then, how so we get in?! With Rico around, it' would've been simple. But we don't have him, so how…"
"Ooh, ooh!" Mort blurted out, jumping with hand raised. "I know, I know!" Skipper looked at the tiny mouse lemur.
"Sad eyes." Skipper said. Mort put his hand down.
"Easy!" He said. "We just go… in."
"Mort, this isn't like the zoo, the habits are all behind…" But it was too late; Mort was already running towards it.
"I don't get you guys' problem." Mort called back as he ran. "This plan is so simple, we just go in, and…oof!" The small lemur ran into the glass wall.
"A glass wall." Skipper finished.
"Now you tell me." Mort said, his voice muffled. He slid off and fainted. Skipper slapped his forehead with his flipper. Kowalski observe his surroundings, and then noticed the big hole in the wall next to the penguins' habitat.
"That hole in the wall might lead us in." Kowalski told his leader, pointing to it. Skipper looked at where he was pointing at.
"Brilliant Kowalski!" Skipper said. Kowalski felt proud of his work, then followed his friends inside.
Once inside, they all squeezed by the crowed of penguins,
"Okay what is happening here?" Skipper commanded to know. "And where's Rico?"
"There he is!" Skipper pointed out. They looked and noticed Rico and Rocky across from each other, ready for the showdown.
"What the crazy is going on here?" Skipper asked. "What is Rico doing with that other penguin?"
"That's a Rockhopper." Kowalski explained to him. "And it looks like to me they're about to go at it."
"Ooooah!" Julien and Mort oohed together, and then the lemurs turned to where the action was going to take place.
"Fight, fight, fight!" They both cheered. Maurice rolled his eyes.
"Oh boy." He said sarcastically. "Here we go again."
"Immature." Skipper mumbled.
The two penguins slammed their feet to the ground. Then they both let out their tough spit. The bell sounded, and the penguins began the brawl. Everyone cheered.
"Go Rico!" Skipper screamed. "Show him all that training we did, show him what you're made of, show him no mercy, whoo!" The fight went on. They pinned each other to the ground, and rolled to the water.
When Rocky held Rico down, he raised his flipper, ready for the final blow.
"Ready to finish this punk?!" He laughed as he was about to take the blow. Rico and the animals gasped. Rico closed his eyes, ready for the end.
All of a sudden, the fight was interrupted by someone clearing their trout. Rico opened his eyes, and the two looked at the angry gantoo, tapping her foot.
"Is this what you take me for?!" she snapped. "Do you think whoever wins this fight wins my heart? Well, I'm not a prize to be won!" With that, she huffed, turned around, and cross her chest with her flippers angrily.
Seeing this opportunity, Rico quickly pushed Rocky off, making him fall in the water. He got up, and Rocky got out off the pool. They looked at Lucile. Rocky waddled up to her.
"Lucile, Lucile baby." Rocky said, trying to cheer her up. "Come on now, we weren't fighting, honest. If it makes you feel better, that stupid Rico started it." Rico growled at the RockHopper. Lucile wasn't buying it. "Come on baby, can we forget this ugly mess and start over?"
"Oh grow up, would you?!" she shouted. "You'll never change!" She huffed away. Rico stood in her way, sighing heavenly.
"Get out of the way!" She shouted, marching off. "I'll never date either one of you again!" she huffed off. The crowed left, getting smaller.
"But baby." Rocky called after her and ran after the gentoo. Rico felt defeated, looking at the fake ice. Skipper went to comfort him.
"There, there soldier." He consoled. "It's all right. You gave it your best shot, not all love runs smoothly you know." Rico looked at him.
"Now what do you say soldier?" He asked. "Come on, I know a place where your heart will never get broken. Let's go home, and be the best of friends."
Rico joyously agreed, and followed them to the exit.
They got on their plane, and flew to the United Kingdom.
"Are we there yet?" Mort asked. "It's been ages since we took off from Chicago! How munch longer?"
"Mort, it hasn't taken ages." Kowalski told him. He looked at the clock monitor on the plane, then back at the tired lemur. "It's been 8 hours. True, it seems like it's taking forever, but we'll get there, you see.""
"Well, are we there…zzz." The little lemur went to sleep then like Rico and Maurice. Julien became impatient, and went to complain to Skipper.
"You said you knew how to fly!" Julien erupted. "How long do we have to stay in the air in this stupid contraption you call a plane, huh!?"
"Well techanally he really can't since he's a penguin." Marlene said.
"Exactly." Skipper explained. "Now we may have attempted to fly a plane before and crash-landed, flew with soda bottles on our backs like jet packs, Kowalski's telepathic powers with that helmet, even reindeer magic made us fly. But we can't really fly; we're just penguins after all. That what flightless means, organisms like us who can't fly. It's just not possible for birds such as us." Julien crossed his hands to his chest.
"Fine!" He scoffed. "But I bet I can fly better anyway then you silly penguins."
"If you knew how!" Skipper pointed out. Julien just mumbled softly to himself. Suddenly, Marlene butted in.
"Look!" She pointed to land in the distance. "It's the U.K! We're almost there!"
"Hurray!" Julien cheered. "Finally, let's get young penguin, and get out of here!" They all woke up Mort, Maurice, and Rico, as they parked the plane.
"We got to hurry back guys." Marlene cleared her trout. "And Marlene." The otter smiled again. "We don't have passports, so after we get Private, we're outta here understand?" Mort panted exhausted.
"Do we have to walk?" He wanted to know. Skipper looked at him.
"Sad eyes." He said. "We just sat in seats for eight hours; you possibly can't be tired now!"
"But I am!" He whined.
"Look Sad eyes, we can't…" Mort gave him the sad puppy dog face. "Awe don't do this to me Sad eyes, Sad eyes, come on, please don't…" Mort began to whimper Skipper sighed.
"Sad eyes, you have to understand. We can't just…" Then they head something. The animals turned to see a Double Decker Bus that just parked at the bus stop.
"Well that's convenient Skipper observed. "Come on everybody, on the bus! We're taking a tour of the United Kingdom."
"Yay!" All the animals cheered as they followed Skipper on the bus. When they were all on, and all of the people scream out, the penguins took the wheel, and the bus drove away.
"Look at me!" Mort cheered as the lemurs were on the top of the bus. Wind breezed through Mort's fur.
"I'm king of the world!" Julien butted Mort aside. "Oof!"
"No Mort." Julien told him. "I am! Can't you see, the UK loves me, I still don't know what UK means, but…WHOO WHO! I'M THE REAL KING OF THE WORLD!!!"
"Thanks for another night out of town mum." Private said to his mom as they waddled home. Private had an ice cream cone in his flippers, and licked it every so often. "I really liked talking to the Queen's corgis'." Private's mom giggled.
"Glad you liked it son." She said.
Suddenly, they saw the Double Decker Bus zoom around the corner. Private dropped his ice cream when he realized it was Skipper and the gang. The bus stopped, and the animals came out and went to them.
"Skipper?!" The confused young penguin asked. "I don't get it, what are you guys' doing here?"
"Private." Skipper told him, taking his flippers. "You got to come home with us." Private was shocked and took his flippers away.
"What?!" He wanted to know. "Why, no!"
"But, we miss you Private." Private looked serious
"But Skipper, I'm happy here. I missed you guys too, but this is my home!" He looked at his mom. "See? This is my mum!" The animals were all shocked.
"Your mom?" Skipper asked.
"Yes, my mum. Mum, these are my New York friends."
"Good day." Private's mom greeted to them and bowed. "I finally get to meet Private's friends; it's so nice to meet you all." Kowalski bowed too.
"It's a pleasure to meet you too." He added. Skipper still looked confused.
"You're Private's mom?" He repeated.
"Well judging by the way she's also a penguin like Private, her same accent as him, and the fact that she's bigger then him and he's waddling around with her, I say she's his mother." The science nerd told his boss. Skipper shook it off, and grabbed Private's flipper.
"Come on Private." He said. "We're taking you home, say good bye to your mom, and let's go." Private retreated, and went to his mom.
"No!" He shouted.
"Private!" Skipper scolded. "What has gotten into you? Don't you want to go home?"
"Well, yes. But Skipper, I haven't been home in years! Can't I stay here, you heard Alice, I finally found where I belong."
"You belong with us Private."
"No! Here with mum is where I belong, don't you see?"
"Private, don't you remember your first day at the zoo?" Private hesitated; he then remembered when he got transported. All the animals have laughed because of his accent, all but Skipper.
"Well, he's not coming." Julien decided. "Let's go back, my throne misses me."
"No!" Skipper stopped the retreating lemur. "We're not leaving without the fourth member of my team. I didn't travel eight hours for nothing, we stay." Julien didn't bother to ask why when he saw Skipper's face. Skipper turned back to Private.
"Private." He started. "When I first met you, you were made fun of because of your accent, but I didn't laugh."
"I would!" Julien blurted out. Skipper ignored him.
"I didn't laugh," he continued. 'Because number 1, I didn't find it funny, and 2, it was mortally wrong. I mean, come on! Laughing about someone because they're different? That's just not at all nice. You're my friend, and that all that really matters." Both of them smiled at each other. This was a touching moment for the other animals.
"I'm not going cry, I'm not going to cry." Mort told himself.
"He's going to cry." Maurice predicted. Then on cue, Mort broke out crying. Maurice rolled his eyes. "See? Figures." He got teary eyed then too.
"You're right Skipper." Private agreed. "But. but…" He looked at his mom. "But, I don't know if I should leave my mum again."
"It's ok." Private's mom said. "Go and be with your friends."
"But mum,"
"You can visit me anytime. I bet you and your chums will find a way." She winked. Private hugged his mom.
"You're right mum. I love you."
"I love you too Private. Now go, your friends are waiting."
"Bye mum!" Private said when they were off. "I'll miss you!"
"Bye Private!" His mom waved back. "Don't forget to write!"
"Don't worry, I will! Bye, I love you!"
Back at the Central Park Zoo, everything went back to normal. Alice didn't mind that the penguins were back, in fact, she missed them more then the visitors did! She never felt prouder to see the penguins all together again.
"Smile and wave boys." Skipper said as they all waved to the many cameras and happy visitors. "Cute and cuddly."
"Never thought I'll hear those lines again." Private said.
"Me too." Kowalski agreed. "It's good to have the whole team back."
"Uh huh!" Rico added.
"Yup, it's good to be back." The leader said. "And hopefully it'll stay that way, for a long time from now."
The penguins waved and waved for the oncoming visitors.