chapter 15
A/N so I think there's going to be around 2 chapters left, and the last may just be an epilouge, I'm not sure yet, anyways, sorry if the first part is too sad, i wasnt in a cheery mood writting it xD
Skipper woke up in Dr. Blowhole's lair, he knew it the instance he opened his eyes. He saw Private watching him in fear and felt a tug at his heartstrings.
"I'm sorry" Skipper whispered softly.
"What?" Private asked, not hearing his leader.
"I'm sorry" Skipper said again, with a catch in his voice.
"It's not your fault Skipper" Kowalski piped up. "Stop blaming yourself"
"But I'm the leader, I have to take responsibility for this.. I should have known."
"Its nobody's fault Skipper" Kowalski stated.
"It wont matter when we get out of here Skippah" Private said. "We'll get out of here."
"Yeah, you guys will" Skipper said.
"Skippah?" Private asked confused.
"Its a touching thought Skipper, but I'm afraid we cant let that happen, its all of us or no one." Kowalski said, Rico nodding in agreement.
Skipper held up a flipper. "Don't argue, you don't have a choice, I've made up my mind, when I distract Blowhole you run, that's an order."
Kowalski slumped, looking defeated.
It was at this moment Private realized what Skipper was implying. "Skippah! No you cant do that! You just cant..." He cried, burying his head in his flippers. "What about never swim alone? What about relatively few penguins get left behind! You cant leave me Skippah" he whispered the last sentence, a plea for Skipper to change his mind.
"Please Private, don't make this any harder than it is" Skipper said, feeling his eyes become wet from tears.
"Hard on you? Skippah, do you know how hard it would be without you? Skippah, I cant..."
Skipper felt a lump in his throat and blinked furiously to keep the tears at bay. "I cant just watch my team die...I love you" he whispered.
"Then don't do this! I would rather die than lose you!" Private wailed, not caring who heard him anymore, tears falling down his face freely.
Skipper felt himself choke up and knew he had to get them out before he broke down completely.
"Rico?" he turned to his friend. "You got a bobby pin or paper clip or something?"
Rico nodded solemnly and handed Skipper a paper clip dejectedly.
Skipper bent it furiously, unlocking his cage in an instant and glancing warily at Blowhole's turned back as he crept to Kowalski's cage.
"Its been an honour serving with you solder" He said, missing his team already. Kowalski nodded numbly before hugging his leader awkwardly. Skipper knew it was a huge gesture, Kowalski wasn't very good with words or feelings.
He turned to Rico's cage next, quickly freeing the penguin.
"Rico hugged Skipper tightly. "Miss you 'kipper" he said sadly, moving to stand next to Kowalski.
Skipper took a deep breath as he walked over to the last cage, Private's. He concentrated on picking the lock, so he wouldn't have to look at the penguin inside. Finally, the door swung open and he looked to the younger. Private threw himself at the older within milliseconds. "Please don't..." He murmured sadly, pleading with his eyes.
Skipper hugged him tighter. "I love you remember that, no matter what happens."
Private cried even harder, burying his head in the leaders feathers.
"Hey" Skipper said softly, lifting up Private's head. "Don't cry, you never know, I might make it out of here alive, you got to think positive."
"Thinking positive hurts Skippah, it hurts too much after you've been disappointed."
Skipper stroked the younger's feathers softly. " I'll always love you, and no matter what happens, I'll always be with you, in here" he whispered, pointing to the younger's heart. Private blushed, but knew it was true.
"I wish I could hate you for this Skippah, but I cant... Your the best thing that ever happened to me and I love you much Skippah, it hurts Skippah, I know its selfish but please..." Private trailed off.
"I'm sorry" Skipper whispered before letting him go.
"No!" Private shouted defiantly.
"Private, please don't make me push you away." Skipper said quietly.
Private stood there still.
Skipper painfully turned his back, walking away. He heard Private follow him and turned around. "No Private" he said, gently pushing the younger towards Kowalski and Rico. Private didn't budge and Skipper shoved him more roughly this time, spotting 'evil' Kowalski advancing on them. "GO!" he shouted at the younger frantically. Private took a step back towards Skipper but saw 'evil' Kowalski and turned slightly, taking one look back at Skipper before running after Rico and 'good' Kowalski towards the exit.
Skipper watched heartbroken. Run little Private. Run as far away from here as you can.
"Get them!" Dr. Blowhole ordered, but it was too late as the penguins disappeared out he exit. "Well Skipper" He said, turning to the penguin. " I was going to make you watch each of your team members die one by one, but apparently that isn't possible. Ugh! Why is it my plans never work out? Guess we'll just have to improvise. Why is it that you always my foil my plans Skipper!" The dolphin shouted angrily. "You" he shouted pointing to a lobster. "Who was in charge of the brain chip?" he demanded
The lobster pointed to another. "It was Fred's job"
"Why did the brain chip malfunction?"
"I dunno" The lobster shrugged. "But I sent in a device malfunction complaint.
Blowhole sighed. "I'll deal with you later" he said, waving the lobster away.
Blowhole was responsible for the brain chip? It was Blowhole! Skipper wanted to slap himself, it was so obvious. "The brain chip" he started.
"Was a brilliant plan until it just stopped working, curse you technology!" Blowhole said.
"So it was you" Skipper questioned
"You obviously aren't too bright if you haven't caught on to that already" the dolphin smirked. "Yes, I put the brain chip in last time I had you captured, I thought it would come in handy one day. Such a genius plan, you left your team and for some added drama for my entertainment, right after you had your little heart broken. It was quite amusing, seeing you so helpless when I set up the barrier in the park. I thought that would give my Kowalski clone enough time to whip your pathetic excuse for a team into shape, so they could help me beat you, wouldn't that be the perfect plan, your own team turning on you. But that plan got fuddled up when the brain chip stopped working. Soon after that I thought, what's the point of the barrier, I'll let him find his way to me. But I'm not very patient, so I decided to bring you to myself, thanks to my Kowalski clone, now I have you exactly where I want you Skipper, at my mercy!"
Private followed Kowalski and Rico dejectedly out onto the rocky terrain surrounding Blowhole's lair. Skipper's still inside there, we cant leave him! He rescued me, now I finally get to rescue him. He tugged on Kowalski flipper.
The scientist turned around, looking down at the little puddle of tears and sadness that has become Private.
"We cant just leave him" Private said sadly.
"And exactly how are we going to get him out of there?" Kowalski asked.
"Well, I kind of have a plan. We could dig through the rocky roof and then rescue Skippah, and then go back to HQ and try to forget this."
"Well, that's well detailed and planned" Kowalski said sarcastically.
Private glared at him with wet eyes. "Don't you want to have Skippah back?"
Well yes Private, but we cant just rush in recklessly."
"I don't care! We don't have the time. I'm going to rescue Skippah and I don't care if you help or not but your not going to stop me" He shouted, scrambling up the rocky cliff sides.
"Private!" Kowalski shouted and began crawling after the younger, Rico following.
"Private" Kowalski gasped as they reached the top. "We'll help, we can't let Skipper go down without a fight."
Private tried to smile and hugged Kowalski. "Thank you"
Rico handed them each a shovel and they began working, knowing time was important.
"Bring out... the giant laser!" Dr. Blowhole ordered.
Skipper choked out a strangled laugh. "Nice name"
"The name is a work in progress, I'm totally open to suggestions" Blowhole defended.
"Giant laser sir" a lobster announced, rolling it into the room.
"Now let he fun begin!" Blowhole cackled, powering the device on.
What a way to go out, at the hands, er- flippers, of my arch nemesis. I may have failed, but I'm not going down without a fight!
Skipper kicked Blowhole before he could tie him down, circling the dolphin cautiously.
"Oh Skipper, you always want to do things the hard way." Blowhole sighed, moving to the helm of the laser.
Skipper gulped. At least Private doesn't have to see this, I love you little buddy. He dodged out of the way stealthily as he saw the laser beam come at him. He crouched in a defensive position, anticipating Blowhole's next attack.
"Don't try to run Skipper" Blowhole warned. "You wont win."
Skipper grimaced as he once again dodged the laser's beam. He saw a mirror conveniently lying on the ground and swiped it. That's either extreme good luck, or it was planted there. This time when the laser came at him he deflected it away with the mirror. He heard a lobster scream but he didn't dare take his eyes off Blowhole.
"A mirror? But how?" Blowhole glared at his minions. "Which one of you dropped it? Never mind, it wont matter after I beat Skipper."
The dolphin aimed the laser once again at Skipper, but the penguin wasn't quick enough. The laser beam hit him in the foot. His agonizing scream echoed throughout the lair.
"Skippah!" Private cried when he heard the scream, crying when he realized his leader was in pain, or gone...
The younger penguin's shovel snapped and he began digging with his bare flippers at the rock and rubble that separated him from Skipper
Blowhole laughed evilly, advancing on the fallen penguin. He aimed the laser once again. " I was hoping this would be slow and painful, but I don't have the time. Although from the looks of it, I nailed the painful part."
Skipper grimaced as he took the last energy he had to redirect the beam to the dolphin using the mirror.
"If I go down, your coming down with me" Skipper rasped.
"NO!" Blowhole screeched, withering in pain as the laser hit him. He fell to the floor and began yelling at him minions.
Two lobsters quickly appeared with a stretcher.
"Activate self destruct!" Dr. Blowhole commanded weakly.
'Self destruct initiated' a mechanical voice echoed. Blowhole and his minions pilled into a giant submarine and escaped into the night, leaving Skipper laying on the floor, helpless and filled with anguishing pain.