Disclaimer: Penguins of Madagascar and all related characters are the property of Nickelodeon, DreamWorks, and any or all related affiliates. This fiction was created for the purpose of having fun and being creative, no money is being made in any from it's creation and posting.
Paternity Pursuit
Chapter 7
By
Wildgoose
(The scene opens with Skipper and his group sitting about a rectangular table that the girls would normally utilize at mealtimes. It is very early in the morning with the others still asleep, yet the guys are all wide awake and somewhat disoriented.)
Private: I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be feeling, Skipper. I never expected,….that. Especially not from somebody I barely know.
Kowalski: I know what you mean, Private. Although Erin is quite the charming girl, with a love for science that exceeds even my own. (Begins to drift off in thought.) Just to watch her pull apart the short wave radio and get herself filthy from crawling inside it to replace a part…. (He is slapped by Skipper.)
Skipper: Snap out of it man, you said yourself that you barely know the girl.
Kowalski: Um right, of coarse. I was trying to imply that although I barely know the girl she does have her charming attributes. However with that aside, I don't believe our encounters with the opposite gender last night were anything more than pent up hormonal release caused by extended periods of time without contact with the aforementioned opposite gender.
Private: You mean, ….
Skipper: That's right, Private. It was an act of nature and meant absolutely nothing.
Private: But….
Skipper: It meant nothing, …and that's an order. We're not going to give up bachelorhood simply because mother nature happens to throw a few carnal urges our way. We're soldiers first, …nature can wait.
Kowalski: Well, I for one can rest easier now. I had this tremendous fear of commitment growing in my stomach tying itself into a knot that was pulling itself tighter and tighter until I felt like I couldn't breath anymore. (Shivers) I wish it on no one.
Skipper: At ease trooper, …the nightmare is over. (The group sits at the table staring at each other occasionally blinking in silence.)
Kowalski: So, …did anybody have a chance to debrief Marlene after her long talk with Antonio?
Skipper: (Takes a fish out of his coffee cup and eats it.) Negative, ….unfortunately we were all distracted. Those females are a crafty bunch, no doubt they were trying to take our attention away from something. (Rico perks his head up and pretends to scratch his back while at the same time using his flipper to investigate the stitched wound on his upper back just beneath his feathers.) Is everything ok Rico?
Rico: (Continues to stretch and grunts his words.) Uh huh.
Kowalski: It might not be a bad idea to do an ammo check when you get the chance, Rico. Erin and I received an encoded bulletin from Antarctic command last night regarding Dr. Blowhole's suspected activities on the Camden Waterfront. His exact location is unknown but an operative from Camden's adventure aquarium has supplied command with intelligence that he is definitely in the area.
Skipper: Good call, see to it Rico. (Rico nods and gets up from the table and heads to another room in the H.Q.)
Private: That's odd, normally to do an ammo check he just shakes his belly about a bit or just throws things up to see what's left. (The penguins look back and forth at each other and the scene fades out.)
(Cut to sometime later that morning as Marlene having wandered down the storm drain pipes by herself with one of the chemical light sticks that had been given to her before by Syron. The zoo is open for business as people can be heard bustling about from exhibit to exhibit looking at the animals who will occasionally perform or do tricks for popcorn. A child standing near the grate above Marlene's head spills a few pieces of popcorn as he stuffs it into his face. The pieces fall almost with the grace of a single feather allowing Marlene to catch them and hungrily pop them into her own mouth as her stomach growls.)
Marlene: Not to worry guys, I'll feed you as soon as we get back to the penguins. I've got business to finish with Antonio first. Syron wasn't kidding when she said he was a charmer, I can't believe I let him sweep me off my feet like that. (Marlene continues to grumble to herself until she reaches the otter habitat. Looking up through the grate inside the habitat Marlene is able to see that if she emerged from there she would be highly visible to the humans which could create a huge amount of trouble for everybody, with that in mind she continues to the second grate which is more out of site behind the bulrushes next to the pond. From there Marlene emerges from the grate and sneaks into Antonio's cave.) Antonio, …. Antonio? (There is no answer from within the cave but Marlene does hear splashing and the occasional cheers from the crowd that she herself was all to familiar with back home. As she looks out of the cave entrance from where she came in she notices that the position is somewhat elevated from the rest of the habitat and is thus able to see everything from her location. Marlene spies Antonio on the far side of his pond splashing the humans and doing tricks for popcorn so she decides to wait. As she wanders about his cave she finds some sardines that he had stashed and decides that he shouldn't mind sharing under the circumstances. Later in the day as the crowds thin a bit around lunch time Antonio comes back to his cave to find Marlene waiting for him.)
Antonio: Marlene, what a pleasant surprise this is. What brings you to my humble abode?
Marlene: I never got a chance to talk to you yesterday.
Antonio: No, we talked much if I recall.
Marlene: Not about what I really wanted to talk about, ..I let you distract me. I'd like to try to remain on topic today if that's okay with you.
Antonio: You did not enjoy yourself with me?
Marlene: I did, …a little too much so I think. I never came here for romance. (long pause.) Okay,….romance wouldn't have been so bad if love had actually been a factor but last night, ….I don't even know what last night was.
Antonio: A roll in the hay, quite literally actually. (he points to the floor of his habitat to show her the hay covering some of it.) It's quite warm once you get used to it.
Marlene: Right, …well I'm just going to take your word on it if that's okay. I'm not really looking for an opportunity to get used to it.
Antonio: So be it, …what then shall we discuss? Is it the babies that you originally told me of?
Marlene: (smiles awkwardly) It is actually. Look, ….I know that all of this is totally out of the blue and I don't blame you for being shocked. (pause) You were shocked when I told you last night, right?
Antonio: Indeed I was. I was not aware that the humans liked to play match maker.
Marlene: I doubt that match making was what they had in mind when they did this to us.
Antonio: You are probably correct and I believe I have an idea where you intend to go with our conversation.
Marlene: You do..?
Antonio: Yes, and please do not take this the wrong way but I do not wish to give up my bachelorhood over something that is being forced upon me.
Marlene: Well wait, …nobodies forcing anything on you and I certainly don't want to become life mates with you. Granted last night was memorable but that was never the impression I was trying to give you.
Antonio: Of coarse last night was memorable, you were with me. How much better could it have gotten?
Marlene: My aren't you full of yourself. Um, let's get back on topic shall we?
Antonio: Si, as you wish. What is it that you request of me then?
Marlene: I'm not looking for marriage or anything like that, I was just hoping for the kids to be able to know their father. To have a father figure, or male role model or however you want to be involved. Even if it's just sending a letter once in a while asking how they are just to be involved with them. Something is better than nothing, right?
Antonio: (looks down for a moment.) Marlene, you are placing me in a most difficult position. You are not asking if I want to be involved, you are asking how I want to be involved.
Marlene: Well they are your pups too.
Antonio: I do not dispute that, but this whole situation was forced on us both. I had no say in anything, there was no love or passion in their creation. The humans decided to play god because they wanted more of us for their zoo's. How can I be asked to be involved in something that I do not love?
Marlene: I love them whether I had a say in the matter or not and they haven't even been born yet.
Antonio: Of coarse you love them, they are a part of you, growing inside of you. You feel everything that they do. You nourish them just by living, it would be impossible for you not to love them. In that they will have at least one loving parent, be happy with what you have and for what you can give them.
Marlene: (looks sad) I'm not going to argue with you, Antonio. I risked a lot coming down here just to find out who you are, I guess hoping that you would want to be involved was just a dream that was too far out of reach for me, and for you. (pause) I did find out who you are, and I can pass that information on to your pups. When they're old enough to understand that is. (turns to walk away.) As Skipper would say, mission accomplished. (Marlene tries not to let him see her tear up as she scampers from his cave to the bulrushes by the pond and disappears into the storm drain to head back to the penguin habitat.)
Antonio: Dios mio, ..what a day. (Shakes his head and goes looking for his sardines to find that they have been eaten.) Women, you can't live with them but you can feed them.
(Cut back to the penguin habitat sometime later as Marlene walks in sulking a little bit. She spies Skipper who is sitting at the table reading a newspaper that he had fished out of a recycling container just outside of the habitat.)
Skipper: Well look who's back, where did you take off to? Syron was looking for you, she was going to take you back to see the other otter.
Marlene: (Sits down across from Skipper at the table.) I already went to see "the other otter."
Skipper: No first names, that's almost never a good sign.
Marlene: I don't know what I was expecting, ..I really don't. Okay, ….I was hoping the idea would grow on him and he would become even a little enthused about the whole matter. I understand that it was thrust upon him, I'm in the same boat but come on. To want nothing to do with them?
Private: He actually said that? How horrible. (As the group is talking the female penguins come sliding down the ladder from up top in single file quickly stepping out of the way at the bottom to make a hole for the penguin just above her on the ladder.)
Syron: What's horrible..? Who said what?
Private: Antonio said he didn't want anything to do with Marlene's pups, isn't that horrible.
Pepper: I knew I hated that jerk
Erin: (shakes her head) Deadbeat!
Marlene: Actually, he didn't say it in those exact words but that was the meaning of what he did say. Also I think the term deadbeat may be a bit harsh under the circumstances. It's not like he made a mistake and didn't want to own up, this was forced upon us both by the people who run the zoo's.
Meg: Still, ..to want nothing to do with them. That's colder then Kitsune after being kissed on the beak. (Kitsune balls her flippers into fists and stomps one foot before making a long series of gestures.)
Rico: What…?
Meg: She said that's she's not cold she just has issues. I say prove that you're not an ice cube, Kitsune. Kiss Rico!
Syron: NO! (Makes fists of her own as everybody stares at her.) You all know what happens so just stop this right now! You're all being so catty it's giving me a headache, focus on the problem at hand and work it to our advantage.
Skipper: Syron's right people, Kowalski and Pepper what options can you give us? (The Kowalski and pepper turn to each other with paper pads and pencils in hand and begin swapping ideas.)
Kowalski: Unfortunately Skipper, we've got nothing. You can't force somebody to step up to the plate and mean it.
Pepper: Antonio is just, …selfish. We'd actually understand his reaction if Marlene wanted to make a life partner out of him simply because the humans did this, but to want nothing to do with the pups at all….
Marlene: I am not trying to trap him, I just wanted to get to know him. To be able to tell the kids who their dad is or was, granted I was really hoping for the best and it hurts that he doesn't want to be involved but what can I do?
Kitsune: (regurgitates a pad of paper and a pencil and begins to write so there will be no need for translation.) Antonio is without honor, Marlene You and your children will be better off without him.
Marlene: That's easy for you to say, you're not me and not in my position.
Kitsune: (writes) I would trade all that I have to be normal and be in your position, you are indeed lucky simply to have what you have.
Marlene: Wow, …that's really sweet.
Elisa: It's the sweetest thing we've heard come from her, mush isn't really her style.
Kitsune: (gestures) The best things about me I keep to myself.
Kowalski: What did she say?
Elisa: It was personal, don't worry about it.
Kitsune: (resumes writing) Marlene if you still wish to pursue Antonio, I will have words with him. I can guarantee that he will see things my way before sunrise tomorrow.
Marlene: He is afraid of you, …that much I've seen. However, ..being forced to step up to the plate won't have any meaning. He'd be there because he has to not because he actually cares. (Turns away) Just let him be, I found out what I needed.
Syron: We're all sorry to hear that, Marlene.
Marlene: (turns to the male Penguins) I'm ready to go home now guys, if it's still possible.
Skipper: No worries, Marlene. We'll have you home before those pups get here. (turns to his group) Kowalski, start working on our return trip and let me know what options you have as soon as you're able. (Erin raises her flipper to gain Skipper's attention.)
Erin: I'll help if you guys will let me. (Skipper nods his approval)
Syron: Pepper, I want you on this as well. They'll need all the resources they can get to make this Op a success. (Pepper salutes and the group heads off to Erin's workstation to get started.)
Skipper: Private, see what supplies we're likely to need for our return trip. (Private salutes and heads off with Syron to see what is available from the habitat stores.) Rico..? (looks about to see that Rico is no longer in the room.) Where did Rico go off to? (Kitsune points to the ladder leading up and out of the cave.) That's not like him to go AWOL. (turns to the others in the room.) Kowalski, did Rico say where he was going?
Kowalski: He said he had something important to do and then left. That was the last I saw of him.
Skipper: Remind me to reprimand him later, do you think a slap on the wrist would be too wussy? (Everybody in the room nods in unison) Right then, ..I'll have to man it up. It's his first offense and I didn't want to be too harsh. (Kitsune gestures that she intends to go to her quarters to be alone for a while.)
(The scene cuts to outside the zoo, Rico is seen standing on top of a concrete pillar to make himself appear much taller as he puts on a black overcoat that reaches to the ground and then regurgitates two toy mechanical hands with gloves on them to make it appear that he has arms long enough to fit the coat. Once he is set he waits for about half an hour before a small P.O.S car pulls up and the driver shuts down the engine which stutters for a moment before finally shutting down. An young Asian woman gets out with large paper bags in hand and carries them toward Rico. )
Woman: (heavy Japanese accent) Scuse please, …I am looking for Rico. (Rico pushes a button on a speak and spell inside the coat.)
Speak and spell: That is me. (pause) Put them on the ground. (The woman stares at Rico with a very strange look before placing the bags on the ground.) Thank you, how much please.
Woman: That will be thirty five and eighty sense. (Rico uses the toy hands to give the woman two twenties out of the money that he had taken from the night time zookeeper.)
Speak and spell: Keep the change. (The woman nods and quickly gets back into her car as the nature of the transaction has put her on edge. After several attempts to start the car she finally pulls away and chirps the tires while accelerating. Rico removes his disguise with a sinister chuckle and heads back into the zoo.)
(The scene changes to inside the Penguin habitat as Rico quietly comes down the ladder. The others are busy with their planning and do not notice him as he discretely moves into the next room. As Rico moves a divider curtain to enter Kitsune's quarters he see's her sitting in front of a small table with a trio of candles burning. Her eyes are closed and breathing steady indicating meditation, Rico takes advantage of her distant state to carry out his plan with little more than a slight rustle of paper. Minutes later Kitsune opens her eyes to the smell of warm food and in the candle light placed on the table before her is a banquet of assorted sushi .)
Kitsune: (as she looks past the table to see Rico sitting on the other side. She regurgitates her pad of paper and pencil and begins to write.) What is the meaning of this?
Rico: (grunts) We're leaving soon, I wanted to say goodbye. (Kitsune looks about at the food.)
Kitsune: (writes) How did you come by these means?
Rico: (grunts) I beat somebody up for the money. (Kitsune smiles as far as her beak will allow )
Kitsune: (writes) I knew there was a reason I liked you. Please forgive me for what happened before, ..I should have warned you about my problem.
Rico: (Plays it off) What problem, I had fun. (Kitsune stares at him with a bizarre look upon her face.)
Kitsune: (writes) You enjoy having your butt handed to you by a crazy girl?
Rico: (grunts) Crazy isn't a lack of mental health, it's the unique ability to step out of one's own right mind to explore other options. (grasps his throat) Ow, that hurt.
Kitsune: (smiles as she writes again.) I like that one, could I use it? (Rico gestures the go ahead.) I do like you Rico, but I fear my own problems.
Rico: (grunts) No fear, Kowalski helped me analyze what happened. We think we know what triggers your violent actions. (Kitsune stares at him in interest.)
Kitsune: (writes) How could Kowalski discover what Erin, Pepper, Elisa, and Meg could not?
Rico: (flutters his eyebrows and grunts) They never had reason to try to get that close to you. (Grasps his throat again in pain from talking.) Hugging is what you loved most about your human, that's what sets you off.
Kitsune: (writes) Everything about close contact sets me off. You endanger yourself with this experiment. (Rico reaches across the table and places his flipper on her heart. Kitsune continues to stare into Rico's eyes expecting terrible emotions to flood her mind at any moment but nothing happens and she remains calm. Kitsune smiles in disbelief and then places her flipper on his heart and begins to tear up when nothing happens.) I have a chance to be normal…? (Rico nods)
Rico: Hungry…? (Kitsune smiles and nods as she reaches to grab a piece of sushi.) Wait, one more thing. (Kitsune stops and looks ashamed as she believes she forgot some form of etiquette. Rico Regurgitates a Japanese flower he'd obtained from the internet and had delivered to the zoo and then places it in the feathers on the side if her head about where the ears would be and steps back to admire this yellow flower with tinged orange stripes on each petal. Kitsune removes the flower to look at it.)
Kitsune: (Begins to cry lightly) Sensei would offer this flower to his mate every year to demonstrate his love for her, where did you find it?
Rico: It wasn't easy. (She replaces the flower in the feathers at the side if her head and reaches across the table to place her flipper on his heart.)
Kitsune: (writes) Because of you, …my nightmare has a chance to end. (Rico picks up a piece if sushi and hands it to Kitsune.)
Rico: Let's eat.
Chapter 8 coming soon.
Comments and suggestions are always welcome.