Okay, the moment you have all been waiting for… Thanks to all who reviewed and read this story. In almost the words of J.K Rowling: "I now present the fifth and final installment in the epic tale of 'Picking up the Pieces'"- T.K.
Chapter 5
As silent as the shadows, three penguins slipped over the fence and into a tree. They all knew where they were and why they came.
"Hi!" a voice shot out, interrupting the concentrated birds.
"Ahh!" THUD. The trio fell out of the tree; Kowalski stood up and rubbed his sore beak, Rico heaved Private off of him and turned to stare at the sloth.
"Sorry," Speedy said, clearly trying not to laugh, "You woke me from my nap."
"Oh dear, we're terribly sorry," Private chirped in his adorable British accent, "Please do forgive us."
Speedy was too lazy to hold a grudge, "That's okay, what are you doing here?" he asked.
"Looking for our friend, Skipper." Kowalski said.
Speedy snorted with laughter and plopped out of the tree, clutching his sides and shaking. He stopped laughing when he saw their expressions. Kowalski's said 'not amused'. Private's was anxious and a little offended. Rico's plainly said 'I have a chainsaw and I'm not afraid to use it'.
"Sorry," the sloth said, still pink from laughter, "I don't know anyone named Skipper." Private's face fell. "But, there is a penguin here. He has a flat head and is a little chubby, I didn't catch his name."
"Kowalski, I think it's him!" Private shouted happily, bouncing on his orange feet.
"Let's ask around for him." Kowalski said, looking back at the confusing sloth.
The trio split up and asked around for Skipper. Private approached the two beavers who were chewing on wood. The brothers smiled evilly as they saw the young penguin approach.
"'Ello!" Private said cheerfully, "Have you seen a penguin?"
"No penguin, I don't even know what a penguin is, Mr. Penguin." Mac told him.
Private was stumped. "That's the craziest thing I've heard since Julien let a gecko rule Madagascar, it's name was Stevie, a color- OW! Why did you bite me?"
Steve growled, "Because, you said Stevie." He cackled.
Private whimpered and ran to Rico. Rico was about to cough up a flamethrower, but Private stopped him.
Meanwhile, Kowalski approached the two large bears cautiously, noting an odd sense of foreboding. He stated that he was searching for his friend and described Skipper in non-classified detail.
"Sorry," Tyler said, "There are no penguins here besides you three."
Kowalski doubted their honesty, he backed away. He told Rico about his feeling that something was going to go terribly wrong and the clear sky mocked his feelings. The three penguins walked towards the small shed where Oreo was sitting. Oreo tensed, he knew they had come for his friend and he wasn't about to give up.
Kowalski noticed the panda's body language and concluded two things; 1. Skipper was in the shed, and 2. The panda wasn't going down without a fight.
"I know why you're here," Oreo said, trying to stop shaking with fear and anger, "I won't let you come in."
"Please, we have to see him." Private squeaked, his eyes sparkling with tears. The panda was startled.
"Listen," Kowalski said firmly, "stand down, we don't want to hurt you."
Oreo trembled again, "Oh, yeah right!" he said sarcastically.
"We can do this the easy way, or we can do it Rico's way." Kowalski told him. Rico coughed up a crowbar and a baseball bat.
Miles came to Oreo's side, "No!" he said, "We won't let you hurt him again!"
Again? Kowalski wondered, what's been going on?
Skipper was awake now, listening to the argument outside.
Private sighed tearfully, "He's right, it's my fault." SLAP!
Kowalski towered over him, his eyes cold with anger and frustration. "I have had ENOUGH!" he growled harshly, "We've already established that it WASN'T your fault! Why do you-"
"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" Private shot back, causing Oreo and Miles to jump. "I've been having nightmares, I just want Skipper back. These aren't regular nightmares, they're pure EVIL. In every one, Skipper is bleeding, beaten, and seeking revenge, and you two help him. I can never look at him the same again. He's my leader, like a-a father to m-me and… I c-can't imagine…w-without him…" Hot tears spilled out of his eyes as he glared at Kowalski.
The tall penguin was stunned; he had never seen Private like this. He was always the calm one. Kowalski stared down at Private with, not pity or anger, but admiration…admiration at the younger one's courage to stand up to others.
Kowalski smiled sadly and embraced Private like a brother, and whispered, "I do understand."
Oreo realized that the penguins were a family and they wouldn't hurt each other. He met Kowalski's eyes and both apologized at the same time.
Skipper sighed and pulled open the door, he was ready to come home. "I'm sorry too."
"Skipper!" Private squealed, zooming to give the leader a big hug.
"Okay, ow, too tight." Skipper said, "Calm down little guy."
Kowalski knew there was something wrong from the start, but what? This was Skipper, yet it wasn't. Rico was watching the two suspicious bears who were whispering to each other.
Private backed up, his tear swollen blue eyes grew wide "Little guy?" he whispered, "B-but Ski-Skipper, y-you always called me Private o-or sol-soldier."
"Who's Private?" Skipper asked, Kowalski gasped. Rico groaned, "Uh-oh." He grunted.
"W-what? But…h-how could you forget me?" Private said, he was crying again. Kowalski was surprised that there were any tears left.
Kowalski studied Skipper carefully before coming to a conclusion. "Amnesia."
"Who?" Rico asked.
"Not who, what. Memory loss, he doesn't know anything. Worst case I've seen." He looked over at Private who gasped; he seemed to finally be out of tears.
Private let out a dry sob and ran to the pond.
Kowalski wanted to run after him, but was held back by Skipper.
"I'll talk to him."
Rico coughed up a half loaf of bread and gave it to Skipper.
Skipper smiled, "I won't say where it came from." He said, not knowing that it was normal for the lovably psychotic penguin.
Private stood on the edge of the bank, looking at Arthur the duck and his young son, Peter. He heard Skipper coming. Private reminded him of the team of commando penguins at Central Park Zoo who were like brothers. Skipper handed him a chunk of bread, ripped off a tiny piece and threw it in the water. Private threw a piece into the water and watched Peter snap at it, trying to gobble it up while his father laughed.
Skipper felt odd, as if he had something to do with the duckling or another duckling. Then it hit him. "Eggy." He said subconsciously.
Private's heart leapt, could it possible that he remembered? He stared at the leader who had a concentrated look on his face.
"The name came to me," Skipper said, "I'm sure it has something to do with a duckling, right? Do I know Eggy, and how do I know him?"
Private nodded and explained that Eggy was a duck that Marlene found as an egg and the penguins took care of him until he hatched. "Julien had taken the egg and called him J.J the lemur egg. But we saved Eggy and you were proud of me for preventing him from being run over by a popcorn cart." He concluded.
Skipper tried to imagine everything that Private said, but couldn't figure out who Marlene and Julien were.
Private said that Marlene is their otter friend and neighbor. Julien is a self proclaimed king of the lemurs with Maurice and Mort as his 'loyal subjects'. Also, Mort, for a strange reason, likes to touch Julien's feet and it drives him crazy. "They love to party all night and drive us to insanity. You usually call Julien 'Ringtail' and Mort 'Sad-Eyes'."
"I must have heard Julien singing that day I left to come here." Skipper said.
"Probably so," Private said excitedly, "I'm so happy you're remembering these things."
"Happy so you can hurt him again?" A voice growled from behind them, it was Sharky. Across the pond, Tyler approached Oreo, Miles, Kowalski, and Rico.
"You scared us," Skipper said nervously, "and Private wouldn't hurt me."
Sharky laughed harshly, "Private? That's a dumb name. What's your real name?"
"Classified!" Private said, glaring at the larger animal. "Skipper is the only one who knows that!"
"Skipper? What kind of name is that?"
"The leader's name!"
"How, may I ask, did he get amnesia and injuries?"
"You may not ask!"
Sharky roared and swung his claws at Private. Skipper jumped in the way and fell to the ground, bleeding. Across the pond, Tyler was attacking the others.
"Operation: Self Defense!" Kowalski hollered, he rushed to Private's aid. Sharky aimed a bite at Kowalski, but the penguin was too quick and smacked the bear's nose.
It was chaos when the beavers joined the fight, biting ankles and throwing wood. Tyler chased Oreo and Miles to the other side of the pond where they joined Private. Rico had nun-chucks out and swung them at the beavers.
No one noticed old Joe limping hurriedly towards the battle. "I've seen enough fighting in my lifetime, so stop!" He yelled in a hoarse voice.
"How old are you?" Oreo asked loudly.
"Old enough to know better, too young to care." Joe replied, coming to a stop behind Kowalski. "I was born in the same year as Ike."
"Who?" Everyone shouted.
Joe sighed and rolled his eyes, but it was Kowalski who answered. "Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th president of the United States. Born October 1890, died March 1969 at age 79. President from 1953-1961, previously Commander of U.S. forces in Europe during World War II, a-WHOA!"
Sharky's claw missed Kowalski by inches and hit Joe instead. Joe was slammed into the ground, hard. Skipper let out a squawk loud enough to gain the attention of the workers. The doctors rushed outside and knocked the bears out with blow dart needles. Kowalski, Rico, and Private hid in the shed until the humans were gone with the two large bears.
All of the animals gathered around Joe who was lying on the ground, gasping for breath.
Lucy climbed to her grandfather's side, "Grandfather?" Lucy whispered, then shouted with tears in her eyes, "Grandfather! Don't go, please, get up."
He met her eyes and she knew that it was hopeless. Speedy held the trembling Lucy. Oscar, Miles, and Oreo shouted protests, but the 120 year old turtle shook his head.
The father duck approached him, "Joseph, I-I don't know what to say."
"A-Arthur." Joe groaned. "Promise, promise you'll take care of Lucy." The duck nodded and Joe continued. "Lucy, my granddaughter, I have taught you so much. My wisdom is yours." His voice grew softer. "I am glad to have known you all. Oreo, I hope you find a good home. I…I sh-shall…miss…all…" his voice trailed off and he was still.
Rico and Kowalski were the only ones who didn't cry, but all were sad. Speedy hugged Lucy who was crying the hardest. Oreo, Miles, and Oscar were holding each other. Skipper patted Private on the back.
All too soon it was time for the penguins to return home; Skipper would come back Monday.
Sunday was spent mourning the loss of Joe, the wisest turtle they knew. The bears were shipped away and the beavers apologized for being part of Sharky's plan.
On the way back to the zoo, Kowalski recited the rest of the information about Eisenhower; Rico and Private fell asleep of course. Kowalski laughed to himself. Skipper seems to be recovering. He thought. Now it's up to us to pick up the pieces of his memory.
Monday came and went quickly, and at closing time, Alice the zookeeper came by with a cage. Skipper was back. Word traveled around the zoo and the gloomy atmosphere broke into cheers of relief and joy.
Marlene came by and gave him a hug. Skipper blushed; he didn't want to tell her that he didn't remember her. She seems nice and pretty. Julien bounded in, dropping a banana peel on the ground, and announced that the welcome back party would commence.
Julien's party lasted until midnight. The lemurs danced and even got Kowalski and Private to sing. The tired party penguins headed home. Suddenly, Skipper slipped on the forgotten banana peel and spun out of control and…WHAM!
His head smacked right into a brick wall. The other three gasped in horror and whisked him to the vet.
Later that night:
Ow, what happened to me? What the deuce? Skipper thought, Wait a minute! I know this place…smoked salmon, my memory is back! Ha ha, the Skipper returns! Did I really feel that way about Marlene? No…it was probably my wild imagination. His head pounded as he remembered the events of the past few days. Private, don't blame yourself, I don't blame you at all.
The doctor brought Skipper back to the habitat the next day at closing time, the penguin spied on the other three. The boys smiled and waved sadly, it looked like they forgot their cute and cuddly today.
Skipper stood on the rail surrounding the habitat. The golden sun hit him at the perfect angle, he was glowing.
"Look alive, men!" he announced, the others spun around and stared at him. They uttered cries of joy. Skipper jumped down next to Private who gave him a big hug.
Skipper grunted, and then chuckled. "At ease, soldier." He said, Private loosened his grip, but still hugged the leader, "Also, don't blame yourself. I'm the leader; I should have had my paranoia cap on, not my relaxation."
Everyone laughed, Skipper entered HQ. He hadn't been down there in a while. Kowalski made fish coffee for Skipper and Private hugged him some more. Rico brought Marlene over to celebrate. When Skipper saw her, he blushed and spilled coffee on himself. Kowalski was the only one who saw Skipper's pink face under the bright white feathers.
End of T.K's marvelous first story
Author's note: Awwww…what an ending! So, please review and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask. - T.K
Julien: Eh, the ending was predictable.
T.K: You already knew the ending.
Marshal: I liked the part where Kowalski was insane.
T.K.: What the-? Hey! You belong in Ponytail's head, not mine!
Athena: MARSHAL! I- wait, we are from a different universe, so…
AAH! UNIVERSES COLLIDING! KA-BOOOM!
I do not own the minis. And, I think you might know already, but in case you do not: I do NOT own Eisenhower, and if you think I do, then I suggest going to the doctor.
Also, I said I wouldn't write about the random characters I threw in, but if anyone wants stories about Oreo, Miles, Oscar, or Speedy, I will see what I can do - T.K.