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 12
By
Wildgoose
(The scene is the back room of a veterinary office where animals are kept after being tended to by the physician and staff, the lighting is low and in the background through a door in the room can be heard a television that is currently displaying the news. Also in the background various staff of the vet's office can be heard going about their business. In separate cages the penguins moan and groan trying to get comfortable however possible and it has only recently come to their attention that neither Skipper nor Marlene are among them.)
Kowalski: (groans as he nurses a bandaged flipper) Did anybody get the license number of that piece of timber…?
Private: (Nursing bandages about his chest) Sorry Kowalski, the only thing I saw was bright blue and red stars just before I was hurled into the cinderblock wall. (looks about) Rico, …are you okay?
Rico: (grunts as he holds a cold compress on Kitsune's head while she is lying down.) Okay…
Kowalski: Rico, …how is it the humans didn't put you in cage by yourself after treatment? (Rico shrugs as Kitsune opens her eyes to find her writing instruments, writes a note and then hands it to Rico to be passed through the bars to Kowalski) The humans think that you're a mated pair and by ethical codes of conduct are not permitted to separate you?
Private: Where could they have gotten that idea? You've only just met recently. (Kitsune holds up her flippers and lets them drop to suggest she has no idea, Rico just shrugs.)
Kowalski: Does anybody have any idea where Skipper and Marlene are…? (the others shake their heads no.)
Private: Quiet everybody, …I think the news is talking about what happened last night! (The group grows quiet so as best to hear the television in the next room.)
TV: ( A scarlet haired young woman with an Irish accent is heard reporting) And while circumstances surrounding this breakup of a dog fighting ring here along the Camden waterfront are indeed strange, what is stranger still was the discovery of a number of exotic animals that were found beaten with unconfirmed reports that amongst the animals was a penguin that had been shot and killed. Again this last statement came from an unconfirmed report provided by testimony to the police by one of the men arrested. We have not had an opportunity to speak with the veterinary hospital where the animals were taken. (The penguins assume a somber attitude and do their best to brace themselves as the reporter continues in the background about the two men taken to the hospital claiming to have been thrashed by penguins and then switches to reporting on how a bottlenose dolphin came to be in the ring's possession.)
Private: It's not true is it, … Skipper can't be gone, right?
Kowalski: He's with us in spirit, Private. That's what matters most. (Kitsune opens her eyes and writes a note to be passed to Kowalski.)
Kitsune: (writes) Knock it off, …Skipper was taken into surgery as soon as we got here. Until we hear otherwise he's alive and will be just fine.
Kowalski: I suppose that's the proper attitude to have, …I'll do my best to get behind it. (pause) So, …where's Marlene then? (Rico grasps his stomach and moans a bit.)
Private: You're kidding, …all that stress sent her into labor? (attempts to jump in excitement) She's going to have pups! (Grasps his chest) OW, ow, ow, lot's of pain!
( A Vet's assistant comes into the room rolling a cart with food and water dishes on the bottom and a cage on the top. The assistant parks the cart against an open grooved slot on the counter opposite the penguins and slides the cage across parking and locking the cage into the slot before proceeding to distribute the dishes to all of the animals. As the assistant leaves the room the penguins can see Marlene lying on her side within the cage seeming to be in a half sleep state while three Otter pups nurse from her.)
Rico: (grunts as he leans against the bars of his cage to get a better look) Wow..!
Kowalski: Truly a wonder of nature, way to go Marlene. (Marlene manages to raise one of her paws into the air a little as a wave and then lets it drop.)
Marlene: Yay me, …tired now can't talk.
Kowalski: Right of coarse, …you must be exhausted.
Private: Just let us know if there's anything we can do for you, Marlene.
Marlene: (drowsy) Popcorn….
Kowalski: Right um, …we'll have to get back to you on that. We're all locked up at the moment. (pause) Um, do you have any idea what you're going to name them?
Marlene: Too tired to think right now, …please shut up.
Kowalski: Right, sorry. Just one more thing and I promise I'll be quiet, …I just have to know. What did giving birth feel like?
Marlene: (very quiet for a moment and then groans) Take your bottom bill and pull it over your head, then you'll have an idea. (A moment later Marlene falls asleep and begins to snore.)
(Some time later an agonizing scream fills the room waking up anybody who'd fallen asleep in boredom with exception of Marlene who is still out cold. A short time later another shrill scream is heard.)
Private; (aggravated) What! (looks about) Kowalski what are you doing over there..?
Kowalski: I just can't do it, ….the pain from even trying is so horrific I can't even imagine and…..oh. Oh, that was the point wasn't it.
Private: Kowalski, were you actually trying to do what Marlene suggested? (Kowalski nods)
Kowalski: (bonks his head against the cage bars) I needed to know!
Private: (looks at him strangely) Geez, and people say that Kitsune is crazy. ( A moment later a note is passed over from Kitsune.)
Kitsune: (writes) I'm not crazy, …I'm emotionally disturbed. There's a difference.
Kowalski: You severely injured a human and almost beheaded Rico during one of your outbursts, …I think that pretty much transitions you from disturbed to crazy on a certifiable level.
Kitsune: (writes) They're both still alive aren't they? That's a definite sign of improvement.
Kowalski: Rico's reflexes saved him, nothing more Kitsune.
Rico: (grunts) Why are you getting on her case?
Kowalski: (irritated) She almost killed you, Rico.
Rico: (grunts) And I enjoyed every minute of it, besides we've all got to go sometime. (Kitsune puts her head down in thought as a tear rolls from her eye. A moment later she reaches through the bars to jimmy the lock. Another moment later the door swings open and Kitsune somersaults to the floor. )
Kowalski: (turns to Private) Where is she going? (Private shrugs and as he turns back to ask Kitsune he finds that there is no trace of her.) How does she do that? (Private shrugs and as he does so Rico notices that his cage door is still wide open. He takes advantage and leaps down from the cage to the floor.)
Rico: (grunts) Be right back.
Kowalski: Where's he going?
Private: I guess he's going to go look for her.
Kowalski: (scoffs) He'd better keep his head.
Private: (regretting what he'd said earlier.) You know Kowalski, …I'd really meant for my comment to be rhetorical. I wasn't trying to imply that Kitsune was actually, ..you know…crazy. She's got issues for sure, …but we could help her if we tried. Rico got through to her, that was a pretty big start.
Kowalski: Only after I'd had time to figure out what sets, …oh I think I see where you're going with this. You want me to try to council the girl and get to the root of her problem.
Private: Um no, …I was actually trying to say that we could just be there for her. We know what sets her off and can easily avoid the trigger until we can find a way to help her with her problem.
Kowalski: You would probably have to hypnotize her and get her to write out her entire life's experiences to get to the root of things, and then that's assuming she doesn't write it all in Japanese.
Private: Too much trouble for you I guess, huh?
Kowalski: Actually, ….it sounds like a stupendous experiment. (begins to drift off in thought) I could publish a paper on neurotic psychosis.
Private: That sounds great, Kowalski. Who would you publish it to though?
Kowalski: Anonymous email to field related experts at some college, I'm sure. The point is I'll have done something tangible, ..recognizable, …maybe even Nobel worthy.
Private: I think you may be getting a touch ahead of yourself, Kowalski. Besides whomever you submitted it to would no doubt keep it for themselves. (Kowalski continues to ramble on oblivious to Private's comments as the scene fades and moves to the recovery room in another part of the facility. Skipper is seen heavily sedated with IV tubes attached to bags of colored liquid that are running into his neck and a feeding tube has been inserted into his throat down to his stomach. His chest is heavily bandaged and yet the bandages are still slightly stained with blood. Nearby the vet is studying a pair of x-rays taken of Skipper's chest cavity while one of the other assistants in the office is placing recently cleaned equipment into it's proper places. When she is done she approaches the doctor. )
Assistant: So how is the penguin doing?
Vet: Well, …considering that this is the first time I've ever actually operated on a penguin before then I would say better than expected.
Assistant: Meaning…?
Vet: It survived, …so far anyway. Unfortunately there wasn't enough time to get it to the appropriate vet in Philadelphia or it might be faring better. Time will tell I guess, …Dr. Faltzgraff should be arriving from Philadelphia to check my work and see how the patient is doing. (Sighs) See to it that the bird is placed on monitoring equipment, the press would probably have a field day if it somehow dies.
Assistant: And how did the otter do..? Three pups is the word around the office, I think.
Vet: The word is right, …I guess three out of four isn't bad all things considered.
Assistant: Oh no, …she lost one?
Vet: No doubt a result of the horrible conditions she and the other animals were found in, hopefully she wasn't keeping count. (The vet leaves the room to attend to other business while the assistant hooks up the monitoring equipment and then leaves the room herself. After several minutes a piece of the drop ceiling moves aside and Kitsune somersaults her way down to a nearby counter and then jumps over to the table where Skipper is lying. She looks at him for a very long time with the wires and tubes coming off of him and then she turns her attention to the monitors displaying Skippers vitals. Kitsune leans forward and gives Skipper a peck on the cheek and then a light pat on the chest before sitting down next to him on the table.)
(Several minutes after Kitsune sits down next to Skipper Rico comes down out of the opening in the drop ceiling and works his way over to her. He notices a very sad look about her as he sits down next to her.)
Rico: (grunts) You okay..? (Kitsune shakes her head no.)
Kitsune: (regurgitates her writing materials and writes.) This is my fault because I failed, everyone got hurt because of me.
Rico: (grunts) You've lost me.
Kitsune: (writes) I allowed the human to get the better of me and because of my failure Skipper had to sacrifice himself to save Marlene.
Rico: (grunts) The human got the… (Grabs his throat in pain and then grabs Kitsune's writing materials to continue the conversation. From this point both of them are exchanging notes.) The human got the better of all of us. If anything you saved our bacon by taking out the other human with your freak out.
Kitsune: Everybody hates me for what followed. (Rico looks down and dusts the shaved swath of feathers on his chest with his flipper.)
Rico: It makes a fashion statement.
Kitsune: What fashion statement could one up a natural tuxedo..?
Rico: Well you do have yellow coloring on your chest and cheeks, …let me get a marker to do myself up and we can match.
Kitsune: (smiles and tries not to laugh.) I thought we were talking about the runway I carved in your feathers.
Rico: Exactly, I'll just color the area in so we can match and nobody will notice.
Kitsune: To think, …Your friends have been calling ME crazy.
Rico: Do I look mad at what happened..? (Kitsune smiles and shakes her head no.) If anything I'm the crazy one because anybody else probably would be mad.
Kitsune: Then why aren't you?
Rico: Because we psychos need to stick together.
Kitsune: (shakes her head) I have news for you, Rico. You're not crazy like I am, ..you're just fun to be around.
Rico: Now you're just being nice.
Kitsune: (smiles and places her head on his shoulder after writing.) I know, ..but don't tell anybody. I have a reputation to protect.
Rico: So did you find out anything?
Kitsune: Nothing that bears repeating. Skipper is okay so far, so that's good news.
Rico: The best I've heard so far, the second best is when I found out I get to see a little more of you.
Kitsune: I'm bad for you, Rico. You know that don't you?
Rico: That's for me to decide.
Kitsune: (sighs) I left base against orders to come after you, and with our exploits on the news Antarctic command likely has an idea what's going on. Sooner or later they'll figure out who was involved and why, at that point who knows what will happen to me or you guys.
Rico: We knew the risks when we came down here, ..if the worst happens and they discharge you then you could always come live with me as a civilian.
Kitsune: (looks at him with surprise before writing again.) Looking for a family are you..?
Rico: (looks bashful) I didn't really have that in mind but it might have come up sooner or later. (in the background the voices of the staff are heard approaching the door of the room. At this Rico tosses the writing materials back to Kitsune and resumes grunting his words.) Fun is over, time to bail. (They both work their way back up through the ceiling and close the opening. A moment later the Vet from Philadelphia walks into the room accompanied by the regular staff of the office unaware of the penguins presence.)
(The scene fades to the next morning shortly after the penguins are given their meal rations for the morning. (A local news reporter and camera crew have been allowed into the room to gather footage for the continuing story regarding the happenings on the Camden water front. At the moment they are focusing on Marlene and her pups as they are busy doing their thing and then the camera briefly turns to the penguins.)
Private: Cute and cuddly, people. You know how Skipper would want it.
Kowalski: How long do you think they're going to keep this camera in our faces, …it's making me self conscious.
Private: Hold your form, Kowalski.
Kowalski: Who put you in charge, ..I thought I was second in command.
Rico: (Grunts as he points to Kitsune) She did, deal with it.
Kowalski: Oh I see, and why is that?
Private: You can't make command decisions, Kowalski. Remember the reptile house? Besides, …she outranks you in the grand scheme of things.
Kowalski: Oh right, …I guess that did put a black spot on my record. Very well then Private, …I guess you're due to have fun with that new first class rating. Just don't let it go to your head.
Private: I'll do my best. (The camera crew moves to the next room to get a shot of Skipper for their report and the scene fades out.)
(The scene comes back in NY inside of the night time zookeepers apartment, he is seen at the kitchen table paying attention to a number of bills that have been coming in lately regarding his hospital stay.)
Steve: Fifty dollars for a pair of aspirin, are they serious? I could have scored an ounce for that much,…I swear these doctors get greedier every year. ( the doorbell rings in the background.) Great, now watch this be the girl scouts or something. (He grabs his crutches and hobbles over to the door to find Alice standing on the other side.)
Alice: Hey weirdo, ..long time no see huh?
Steve: Um no, not since I insulted you in your apartment while you were trying to take care of me. Thanks by the way, …I know you were trying to help. Also I'm sorry for what I said, …you didn't deserve those comments.
Alice: No harm done, …everybody has their bad days.
Steve: You're chipper about something, …what's got your dander up?
Alice: You don't watch the news much, do you?
Steve: Usually only if I'm bored out of my skull. Why, what's going on that's got you so happy?
Alice: They've found our missing animals down in New Jersey.
Steve: (slightly irritated) Really, ..how did they wind up all the way down there?
Alice: Are you okay, …you looked like there was ice in your veins or something.
Steve: What, …oh sorry. The thought of New Jersey made me remember an old score I have to settle, it's just something personal. It doesn't have anything to do with you. So they found all of them together?
Alice: Plus otter pups, three of them.
Steve: Excellent, …I'm sure the new night time guy will have a blast taking care of them.
Alice: (Frowns) What exactly does that mean?
Steve: (looks confused) I told you before that I wasn't going to go back to the zoo, I'm just tired of some of the things that go on there.
Alice: What could possibly go on at night that would frazzle you that much?
Steve: I'm just going to say that you wouldn't believe me if I told you, and we'll leave it at that.
Alice: Is your story weirder than one of the chimps talking to me in sign language?
Steve: You said yourself that you've always thought that the penguins were up to something. Let your imagination run wild and you'll probably come pretty close to the truth.
Alice: (scoffs) Let my imagination run wild huh? (pause) Let me guess, they're really animal commandos who work under a top secret division of the government for the purpose of operating where humans can't.
Steve: (looks absolutely bewildered.) Um, …
Alice: What, …to far fetched for you? Sit back and brace yourself, I can probably think up something wilder if I really try. (Elbows him lightly in the ribs.)
Steve: Wilder that that, …right.(changes the subject) SO, …..they found the animals. What about the nut jobs who took them?
Alice: They haven't found those guys yet, ….heck they found the animals in an illegal dog fighting ring of all places. Who know where those animal rights whacko's could be hiding. (pause) What kind of animal rights nut kidnaps animals to make them fight? (shakes her head) So where were we, …oh yea. We don't have a replacement for you, …I never had the heart to tell management that you wanted to leave for good. They think that you're just out on temporary disability or something. The temp guy can't wait to get back to day shift as it is.
Steve: Well that makes my life a little more complicated.
Alice: Why, ..at least with disability you still get paid.
Steve: Alright you've got me, ..there IS that.
Alice: Besides, ..could work be so bad that you would want to just drop it and leave? (pause) You know what, …don't answer that.
Steve: You've already posed the question so I fear I must. Let's put it this way, ..have you ever given as good as you've got, been the nicest person you can, only to be taken advantage of in the worst most insulting way?
Alice: Of coarse, …it's part of the job. I only put up with the public because of the animals and because of the pay.
Steve: I hate the public, ..that's why I work at night.
Alice: And with animals. (Steve stares at Alice for several minutes)
Steve: (sighs) This isn't the person I'm used to saying hi and bye to every day at work, …so who are you and why do you darken my doorstep?
Alice: I like you, remember?
Steve: Oh is that what's been causing my nightmares. (Alice rolls her eyes)
Alice: What, you can't even give me a chance?
Steve: Of coarse I can, ..I let you in the door didn't I?
Alice: Right then, …how about a second chance? Come down to NJ with me to pick up the animals when they're ready.
Steve: Ready?
Alice: They were beat up and one of them was shot, ..the doc is only giving that one a 50/50 right now so we've got to wait until they've had a chance to recover some.
Steve: Somebody shot one of them? (VO) Dammit, I was going to do that!
Alice: I know right, …what's this world coming to. (Pause) So anyway, while we're waiting to head down there maybe you could join me at the bar a few times. Do you drink?
Steve: No, …but lately I've been thinking about starting.
Alice: Could I please get a serious answer out of you just for once?
Steve: (sighs) I think I could handle a few drinks with you. (Alice smiles and turns to leave.) Hey Alice? (She stops and turns around to face him.) For what it's worth you should dress out of uniform more often, Uniform makes everything about you look boxy and unfeminine.
Alice: (looks annoyed) What exactly are you trying to say, here?
Steve: I'm saying you really do have a smoking body and it's a sin for you to cover it up so much. (Alice blushes and turns to leave closing the door behind her. After she leaves he quickly walks to the bathroom.) Love mush gag reflex…!
Chapter 13 coming soon.
Comments and suggestions are always welcome.