A/N:Wow! Last chapter got the most reviews ever! Seven! I so glad you guys like my story. And Bob the hobo stickman says thanks for his new box, he really likes it. Isn't that right Bob?

Bob: Yep, it's really cozy. Much bigger than my old box. Thanks guys.

There you have it! Thanks reviewers!

Disclaimer- I only own Pom in my mind, not in reality.

Chapter 6: Royal Pain

Aly's Pov

I woke up to find myself hugging something soft and plushy that kind of smelled like fish. Only, because I was now a penguin, the smell didn't bug me- It was actually quite nice. Curious as to what was making the smell, I slowly opened my eyes to that I was cuddling a violet Lunacorn. I sat up and rubbed the sleepy out of my eyes.

"Mourning, sleepy head." Said a voice from behind me. I nearly jumped out of my skin- Er, feathers- until I realized it was just Mary.

I shifted around in my bed to look at her. What I saw made my beak drop. Mary was sitting up in her bed, which was just a table, with little suction-cup sensors around her body. The sensors were hooked up to a machine that monitored her heart beat, blood pressure, and other things. It looked like a classic hospital scene. Very few things actually scared me, and this was one of them.

"Mary!" I demanded rapidly " What happened? Are you Ok? Did somebody do this to you? I swear if somebody hurt you, I'll-"

"Aly calm down! Geez, all I say is good mourning, and what I get is my cousin acting like my mom!"

I sucked in a deep breath and calmed down. But it still didn't help my worrying "Ok. I'm good. Now what happened?"

"The same thing that happened to you, save the almost drowning part." She said, indicating with a flipper towards me.

I looked down to notice that I was too hooked up to a machine. It took me a couple of seconds in my still- waking- up state, but I finally remembered the collar going off, then black nothingness. I felt around my neck and noticed that the collar was off. Now how did that happen?

"So you were electrocuted too?" I asked.

"Yep. Hurt like heck too." She remarked.

I decided that wasn't enough to put my thoughts a rest "But are you Ok?"

She sighed in annoyance "Yes!"

I searched her face for any sign that she wasn't telling me the truth. All I saw, however, was the weariness in her eyes. I breathed a sigh of relief.

I leaned back on my flippers only to rediscover the violet Lunacorn. I pulled it out in front of me examine it more.

"What the?" I muttered. I looked up at Mary "Where did this come from?"

"It's Private's." She replied with a smile. I could tell there was something she wasn't telling me.

"Ok, what're you hiding?" I narrowed my eyes in suspicion.

"Oh nothing!" She said in a dainty tone.

I narrowed my eyes more, almost to the point where I squinting "Whatever it is, Mary, you know eventually I'm going to find out. I have my ways."

Mary just smiled even further "God I hope so, just not from me."

This just severed to confuse me, so I decided to drop and change the subject.

"So, how did I get Private's Lunacorn?"

Mary paused for a second, the answered "He gave it to you after he saved your life."

My beak dropped open "What? Why, what happened?"

"Apparently, after the collar went off, you passed out and fell into the water. Private jumped in after you and pulled you out. Then he gave you CPR and brought you in here." She said smugly.

"Oh." Was all I could say.

I couldn't believe it. Not only did Private save my life, but he gave me CPR to do so. Now that I thought about it, I did vaguely recall thrashing around in the water, then suddenly being on the concrete flow. I felt a mixture of feelings at the moment, most of them for Private. The more I concentrated on it, the closer I came to my sudden realization- I think I'm in love with Private.

I gave Private's Lunacorn a squeeze, then looked back up at Mary "What happened after that?"

For the next three minutes, Mary explained everything that had happened from her point of view "...And then Private sneaked in and gave you his Lunacorn." She finished.

"So Kowalski sawed off my collar?" I asked, disbelieving.

"Yep." She said with a nod.

"Interesting." I replied.

As if on Que, a knock came on the lab door and in walked in Kowalski. He was carrying a tray with two fish and four pieces of sushi in his flippers.

"Good mourning, girls. I've brought you breakfast." He said with a smile.

"Speak of the devil." I muttered under my breath. Mary, who heard me, snickered.

Kowalski walked over to Mary first, and gave her one fish and two pieces of the sushi. Then he walked over to me and gave me the same. After we both got our food, he set to work checking our vitals.

I wanted to ask Kowalski a few questions about yesterday, but my own stomach rumbled in protest. It was then that I realized that it had been over two days since I had last eaten. And man, was I hungry! Not even thinking about the fact that I was about to eat raw fish, I inhaled the fish and sushi.

To my surprise, it actually tasted pretty good.

Suddenly Private burst into the lab, buzzing with excitement "Aly! Mary! Guess what?"

"Um, chicken butt?" I answered rhetorically.

Private cocked his head in confusion, and I actually laughed out loud. Then, to humor Private, I asked "What?"

His face seemed to lighten up "I convinced Skippah to let me give you a tour of the zoo!"

I was about to reply, but Kowalski interrupted me "Uh Private, that may not be such a good idea given their current conditions."

I didn't like the sound of that. Time to protest.

"I don't know, Kowalski" I said coyly "I feel fine. I go through this kind of stuff all the time."

Mary caught on quick, and added "Yeah, and being her best friend qualifies too. I feel great."

"Please, Kowalski?" Private begged.

"Please, Kowalski?" I echoed with a pout.

"Please, Kowalski?" Mary added with full-fledged puppy- dog face. This seemed to tip him over the edge.

"Oh alright!" Kowalski said exasperated " Just don't do anything too strenuous. Private, I'm trusting you to watch them."

Private nodded solemnly "Don't worry."

"Thank you Kowalski!" Mary and I said at the same time.

We both hopped off our tables, Kowalski helping Mary, and walked to Private. I was almost to the door when I was hit with a sudden wave of dizziness. The world seemed to be darkening and spinning at the same time as I leaned on the wall to keep myself from falling over. Private saw this and came running over.

"Aly! Are you feeling alright?" He asked, concern lining his voice.

And then it was over. It ended as abruptly as it came. I shook myself, stood up straight, and found myself staring straight into Private's concerned eyes.

"Aly?" Private asked again.

"I'm fine Private. I just stood up to fast, that's all.

"Maybe we shouldn't go..."

"No!" I exclaimed "Seriously, I'm Ok."

Private searched my face "Ok, but let me know if you feel any worse."

I nodded. Then we joined Mary.

"Ready to go?" She asked.

"Yep!" I replied and we entered the next room.

In there, Skipper was once again sitting at the table drinking fish coffee, eyes suspicious as ever. I decided to annoy him.

"Good mourning, Skipper" I said in the sweetest, fake voice I could manage.

He said nothing and continued to glare at me.

"Good mourning, Skipper" I said a little louder.

He still said nothing. I sighed, this was going nowhere.

Giving up, I turned around and continued walking to the ladder. Private and Mary were already there, and Mary was almost up the ladder. I made sure she was all the way outside, before I pulled Private, who was about to climb up himself, over.

"What is it, Aly?" He asked, slightly confused.

I took in a deep breath. I was aware of Skipper watching us, but I didn't care. I had to get this out.

"Private, I wanted to thank you for saving my life yesterday. So, um, thanks."

I could feel my face heat up as I blushed with embarrassment. Idly I wondered if it showed through the feathers on my face.

Private smiled sheepishly "Oh, uh, well you're welcome. It was no problem, I'm just glad you're Ok."

I stared at his sky blue eyes. I probably would've gotten lost in them too if Mary hadn't poked her head back in through the hole.

"Hey, are you guys coming or what?"

"Yeah, be there in a sec!" I called up to her.

I was about to climb up, but then I remembered something "Oh, and Private, thanks for letting me sleep with your Lunacorn last night."

Private's eyes widened to the point where I thought they would bulge "How did you know?" He almost whispered.

"Mary saw you" I said simply and then climbed up the ladder. Private's expression was priceless. I wondered what it was about.

Outside, Mary stood flippers on hips, tapping her foot impatiently "What?" I asked.

"What were you guys doing?" She asked suspiciously.

I was going to tell her everything, including what I was feeling about Private, but Private came up. I shot Mary an 'I'll tell you later' look. She nodded her understanding.

"Ok, who do you want to meet first?" Private asked us.

"I don't know, you choose" I told him.

"Alrighty then, follow me." He said.

Then Private leaped several feet into the air, did a flip, and landed on the other side if the habitat fence. Mary and I's beaks dropped open in awe.

"There is no way I can do that." Mary said. I agreed.

So we both just jumped in the water and swam over to Private. Once there, Private got on his stomach and slid away fast. We ran after him.

"Private, wait up!" I yelled, gasping for breath.

He stopped, turned around, saw were like twenty feet behind him, and slid back to us.

"What's the matter?" He asked.

"You're going way too fast for us!" Mary practically ye led.

"Why don't you just slide?" He said as if it were obvious.

"We don't know how!"

"Oh. Don't worry, I'll teach you!" He exclaimed "Ok, first you get a running start. Then you jump and dive for the ground, making sure you're at the correct angle to slide. The rest just comes naturally. Who wants to try first?"

Mary and I looked at each other and nodded, her eyes telling me 'go ahead'. I turned back to Private "Me."

"Ok, so start running." He instructed me.

I started running.

"Now jump onto your stomach!"

I did, and suddenly I found myself sliding. It was a wonderful feeling! Kind of like when you're on a swing and you get really high. I started laughing.

"You doing great, Aly!" Private shouted.

And I was. That is, until that familiar feeling of dizziness struck me once again. The whole world seemed to spin around as I lost my sense of direction. I wanted to stop, until I realized a very important detail: I didn't know how.

"Aly stop! You're going to crash into-" Was the last thing I heard before I crashed head-log into the popcorn stand.

I heard glass break. Random bits of the cart flew into the air, landing elsewhere. Some of it, however, ended up landing on me, burying me in metal and plastic. How I managed to stay conscious, I do not know.

"Aly!" I heard Private call. I felt movement around me as Mary and Private sifted through the pile looking for me.

"Over here!" I called out.

Suddenly I felt sunlight fall onto my face. As I squinted, I heard Mary yell "I found her!"

I groaned as two pairs of flippers pulled me out of the wreckage and onto the sidewalk. Standing over me were Mary and Private, both staring worryingly.

"You Ok, Als?" Mary asked.

I stood up, then broke out into a huge smile "That, was, awesome!" I exclaimed.

Mary broke out into laughter at my response, and I soon joined her.

"But you just crashed into the popcorn stand at fifteen miles per hour!" Private protested "How can you just walk away from that!"

I gripped Private's shoulder, and looked him straight in the eye "Because I'm me. Seriously, this kind of stuff happens to me all the time. I'm just accident prone, that's all."

Private looked at Mary for confirmation "You get used to it." She said simply. The look on Private's face was priceless.

"Can we continue on foot though?" I asked.

I wasn't going to tell Private about the second dizzy spell I had- it would only make him worry more, and I was fine- but I really didn't want to slide any more either.

To my relief, he said yes.

For the next half hour, we went from habitat to habitat, meeting all the animals and explaining our story. Marlene accepted us with open arms and welcomed us. I could tell we were going to be great friends. Joey just yelled at us until we left his pen, saying something like 'I won't hit Sheila's'. Becky and Stacy seemed nice, but a little too hyper for my taste. Burt, Bada, Bing, Roy, and Roger welcomed us. Mason was surprised we could both read, and I had no clue what Mason said. Finally we came up to the last habitat- the lemurs.

"Now I warn you," Said Private "King Julien can be a little obnoxious and self absorbed."

"Oh come on, how bad can he be?" Mary asked as we entered the habitat.

"You don't want to know." He muttered.

I looked around the habitat, which looked kind of like the jungle and the circus mixed together, but I didn't see anyone. I was going to ask Private where they were, when I felt a hard tap on my shoulder. I whirled around.

It was three lemurs "Eh, who the hecks are you?" The middle one, a tall gray lemur, asked.

Private spoke for us "This is Aly and Mary. They're new to the zoo." He explained.

"Oh new subjects worship me! Welcome to your new kingdom! I am the most awesomest King Julien XIII, and this is my chunky monkey, Maurice."

"I'm big boned!" The dark gray lemur to the right of King Julien, said frustrated.

"Ok... Who's that?" Mary asked, pointing to the smallest lemur.

"That's Mort." Private said.

"I like new penguins!" He said. I thought he was cute.

"Hey pretty penguin lady!" King Julien said to Mary "How would you like to ditch these unworthy flightless birds, and go in with the King?" Then his face got really close to Mary's, his hand tilting Mary's chin so that she was looking directly into his eyes "He, me, which is I, the King, will even let you be the royal butt scratcher!"

This ticked Mary off "Ok first off, it's Mary. Second off, it's 'go out' not 'go in'. And Thirdly, I wouldn't go out with you if hell froze over tomorrow!" She said stomping her foot, then storming out.

"So that's a no then?" He called after her.

I kicked the 'King' in his 'royal jewels' and said "That's for calling me an unworthy flightless bird, and messing with my cousin, you jerk!" And then ran after Mary.

Once again, reviews make me (and Bob!) very happy, so please review! Oh, and I just added Aly's and Mary's profiles to my profile, so don't forget to check it out!