Chapter 2: Back To Civilization

Although a certain biochemist with a nasty habit for trampling on people's relations failed to bring Chris Kratt to California. The biologist and the rest of the Wild Kratts were pulled back into the concrete jungles of humanity by order of business. As in they were called in for a series of fundraisers geared towards launching a brand new project: Operation Frozen. An ambitious new undertaking to refreeze at least 35% of the lost ice in both the North and South Poles. Part of the plan was to lure people and possible patrons to winter-theme events that campaigned their cause. The founders of Operation Frozen were all in agreement that a certain duo was the most likely to sway the masses (and hopefully sponsors) to participate...

Chris and Martin Kratt.

With the latter sulking on the couch instead of packing up.

"Martin, we need to get going!" Chris admonished him as he tried to pry his obstinate sibling from the couch. Martin tightened his hold as he whined, "Oh come on, we have a few more days! Can't we spend em on one last creature adventure before being dragged through SEVEN overcrowded cities for three whole months?" He begged with pleading ocean blue eyes. Chris swiped one of Koki's racecar magazines to slap his brother with.

"Ow!" The blonde cried out. "Get to packing or I'll ask Aviva to help you." Chris threatened. "Ask me to help with what?" The Hispanic inventor questioned as she poked her head into the lounge area. "Oh nothing! Gotta pack!" Martin chuckled nervously as he slid off the couch to scamper away. Chris let out a suffering groan as he returned Koki's magazine to its stack.

Seeing his reaction Aviva reminded him, "Hey, he may be a goofball. And he may hate these type of things. He's still your brother, with a special knack to get people to pay attention to seemingly any topic! Especially animals!" She smiled warmly. Her fellow crew mate shrugged as he replied, "I know, but sometimes people don't take him seriously. I bet a bunch of folks see him as just a entertainer instead of a actual professional..." Like some idiot who ought to be banished to Alabama. He thought bitterly to himself.

"That may be true. But have a little faith in him. People cannot resist his charm for long." The inventor assured him confidently. Oh, Aviva, if only you knew... Chris resisted saying as he waved a hasty goodbye before retreating from her. To be frank, the brunette did not like the ravenette the first time a certain blonde introduced her to him. She seemed like the kind of girl who spared no room for fun and would not hesitate to tear down anyone that did not meet "her standards". The fact that Martin kept ticking her off did not help matters either. To him at the time she lacked the patience and gentleness to put up with his brother.

Boy, did she prove him wrong... It has been about a decade, forty-six inventions smashed, thirty-nine accidents, and countless arguments since Kratt had met Corcovado. Yet by some miraculous power of above or the stubborn spirit that resided as strongly in the inventor as it did the zoologist. Not only did her leadership synchronize beautifully with Martin's, she was one of the few people that could actually appreciate him. Something Chris felt deeply grateful for. Which is why he could not bring himself to tell her about the people who saw Martin differently.

Someone as flawed.

Someone as trouble.

Someone as lesser.

A hour later every member on Team Kratt had finished their preparations for flight. Jimmy took his rightful place at the captain's seat, "Alright, everyone! First stop! New York City of New York State!" The redhead announced cheerily as he began pulling the Tortuga upwards. "New York City?! Are you serious?!" Martin exclaimed unhappily from his seat by one of the monitors. Koki turned to the distressed Kratt puzzled, "What's wrong with New York?"

Luckily, Chris stepped in to explain, "You know how New York Central Zoo had to be shut down for five years because of exposed animal abuse and trafficking?" The dark-skinned mechanic thought for a moment before realization lit up her equally dark brown eyes, "Wait-Martin that was you?!" Their friend could hardly hold back her disbelief. Martin began massaging his arms as he shuddered, "Yeah I know, the whole zoo-saving thing was pretty cool. But I only discovered what was happening AFTER THE ABSOLUTE SIX WORST MONTHS OF MY LIFE!" He groaned as he crumpled in his chair.

Then he added sourly, "Also the two weeks I was hospital bound by those stupid bullets sucked. As well as that month afterward when mom forced me to stay home..." Koki cringed as she scooted her chair closer to pat her friend on the shoulder. "Eeerr, that's too bad you got off the wrong foot there. But maybe this time things will be different! I'm sure the zoo is a better place now and you have your creature power suits in case things turn south! Anyway, what were you doing in New York the first time around?" Martin straightened and placed his chin on his hand thoughtfully for a moment.

"An apprenticeship of sorts. An unique one. I was supposed to be with my zoology class on another apprenticeship. However, at the last moment there was not enough room on the roster. My professor at the time said that since they wanted me but lacked enough room. They set me up with someone else. The gesture was generous-but now I wish they did not go through the trouble.." The long-since graduated zoologist answered as he rubbed his head from the aching memories. Koki frowned, "Okay, that sounds weird. Like a little bit suspicious." The blonde blinked at the ravenette, "What? I doubt they had anything to do with the traffickers using the zoo!" He argued.

"Not that. However, I'm pretty sure that any course or program does not oh-not-so-conveniently change the number of spaces available at the last minute. Unless the student themselves cannot attend or gives their place to someone else. You were selected beforehand right?" Koki inquired which earned a nod from Martin. "So, who stole your spot?" Before the latter could answer the entire floor shifted a few feet upwards. Suddenly, a short scream was heard as Aviva slid from one of the rooms of the upturned side. Martin's arms shot out just in time to catch her before she could crash into the opposite wall.

The intercom crackled as their pilot spoke, "Could you guys remain seated? Were on tight schedule and I might have to pull some strings to get there in time! Please buckle up Aviva." After those last words of warning the intercom quieted. The minor offender blushed a faint pink as she slowly stood up from Martin. Only for another untimely bump to smack her back onto the poor Kratt. "Sorry!" "No its ok, were get your chair-" As if on cue the chair came whizzing by-knocked Aviva onto Martin again, then kept gliding by before crashing into one of the rooms far from the main center of HQ.

Now both co-leaders found themselves in a very compromising situation. "I need to renovate my darn chair..." The flustered engineer muttered darkly. "Its just a few hours. Sharing uuuuhhhh, this seat..." The equally bashful wildlife expert mumbled. Then they turned to their grinning audience to impose one direct demand, "Don't you dare let anyone know about this." They ordered at the same time.

Five and a half hours of bickering, seat-sharing, and aiming objects as missiles to shut up the other side later...

"Hi boys! Welcome back to New York! And its a pleasure to meet your crew mates at last!" A woman came up to greet them after they parked the Tortuga on a roomy lot located to the apartment building they would be staying at. The location itself only a couple miles away from Central Park. Which is where the first of the "Frozen Crusades" fundraising events would begin. Chris craned his neck to soak in the view of the park in its autumn glory. Sure, the landscape was not as majestic as a forest would be during the fall. Nevertheless, the tree-climbing brother felt content at the sight of the multicolored leaves of vivid warm color hues.

As soon as the crew set their eyes on the stranger that nonchalantly welcomed the Kratt brothers-Jimmy screamed before diving behind Koki. The lady could be mistaken for a giant, standing a few more inches higher than seven feet. She wore a dark gray jacket with the Batman logo on it, snow pants, heavy boots of dark blue, and a dark blue scarf with silver threading. Her midnight blue eyes shone behind a pair of steely glasses and her somewhat spiky hair of jet black was tied into a thick ponytail. Aviva and Koki stepped back a little in shock. More used to the animals being larger than them instead of humans. (Gourmand of course disgraced all big-sized humans everywhere by endangering animals for the sake of his outrageous cooking.)

Martin, on the other hand, did not hesitate to give the giantess a enthusiastic high five. "Heya Mikaya! How ya been?" Mikaya gruffly laughed a bit before responding, "I'm doing great. Nice to see your hyperactivity has not killed you yet." "Hey!" Martin protested with a smile as he said, "I totally know what I'm doing out there! Not so much in the big city though..." He shuddered a bit. "That's what I'm an expert in luckily for you." His towering friend assured.

Meanwhile, Chris had turned to the others to introduce the gal, "That's Mikaya, Her younger brother, Diego, had been hired at the zoo a few weeks before Martin exposed those traffickers. He of course got "persuaded" by the traffickers to keep their operations a secret and that affected his mental health badly. Miakaya noticed yet could not get her brother to reveal anything. When she found out what happened she came over to the hospital to thank Martin and well, the rest is history-OOF!" Chris exclaimed as his brother suddenly tackled him into a excited hug.

"Hey, guys guess what! The zoo just welcomed a pair of Little Blue Penguins and Diego will bring us to see them tomorrow!" The giddy blonde announced. Mikaya's smiled widen as she teased, "Happy to see any critter no matter how great or small, eh Blue Boy?" Martin grinned back before it shifted when he remembered something. "Hey Mikaya, how's Spinner doing?" The giantess merely groaned as she shrugged, "I swear that guinea pig's brain comes from a alternate dimension. Spinner is still somehow still alive and eating as much as he desires. You can see him if Diego invites us to his apartment."

Martin's old friend escorted Team Kratt to the hotel complex where they would be staying. Except for Jimmy, who was picked by a cousin he intended to catch up with during their time in NYC. The girls and the boys were separated into their respective rooms. The room the Kratt Brothers were given actually looked almost as cozy as the ones vacation brochures often bragged about. Cherry red wall paper designed with golden apples, polished wooden furniture, plush couches, and a fifty inch TV that would be left unused for the next two weeks. Chris warily eyed the black screen. Wondering if he could remove it and secure it somewhere out of Martin's range of clumsiness.

It not that his goofball of a sibling meant to cause damage...It just happened enough times to keep Team Kratt on their toes. Martin gave the place a quick scan before turning to his pal at the doorway, "Hey, was any of this affordable?" Mikaya shrugged as she responded, "Just be glad you don't have to live in the city anymore. But don't worry Sunshine, my cousin runs this place now. She gave me a pretty sweet discount so I could set all you guys up for a while. And finding out Hugo is Jimmy's cousin definitely helped out a bit. Meet me in the lobby in twenty minutes." She told them before disappearing down the hallway.

Martin closed the door before setting down his backpack. Instead of casually tossing things out like he would usually do. He took the time to take out each item to avoid any mess. His younger sibling felt a little relieved when he saw his brother being cautious. Then his worries turned to who they were going to be working with until March of next year. He had been given all their names, occupations, and the typical tidbits professionals required. He studied the statistics in his mind. Seventeen people would be running this show alongside them, adding themselves the total would be about twenty-two people.

One third of the people listed he met or worked with one or more times. The second third of the team he never had been associated with but heard of through their acclaim. The last part of the group, was a mixed bag. Three total strangers he never heard of or met. With the remaining two being among the last ten humans on earth Chris would trust with Martin. He could only hope that they have grown past trivial bullying and grudges to not cause them trouble.

"Hey, Chris? What's up?" The brunette snapped out of it when he heard his brother's voice. Deciding to get the bad news out of the way he informed him, "Martin. Aaron and Dina are going to be part of the team." The zoologist's face darkened a bit. Which was quickly replaced by a optimistic grin as he claimed, "Hey, that was way back in the day! Like-ten or fifteen years ago? I'm pretty sure they are both cool now."

"As cool as Zach became?" His younger sibling scoffed as he crossed his arms and shot him his signature are-you-sure-about-that look. The elder rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "Okay, so things might not have changed. But in the end, we're all here for a good cause!" "Or to tack yet another shiny medal or fancy certificate to their wall of ego." Chris rolled his eyes. "Come on bro! Let's give em a chance and, if they are still as snappy as a crocodile. We can handle ourselves."

"There's no way that clown can handle this serious assignment!"

"He's guaranteed to fail because he's as clueless as a dodo and has all the grace of an elephant!"

"Ha, good one! But don't worry wittle Kratt, I'm sure you have the brains to ensure your big dumb brother gets at least a B-!"

"Nuh, uh, uh! Plagiarizing is strictly forbidden! Also don't forget wittle Kratt isn't allowed to come to his big brother's classes!!"

"Oooohhh, silly me! Almost became as forgetful as Marty there-ha,ha, ha!"

Chris suddenly clutched his forehead as the vicious voices of the past attacked once again. Martin immediately rushed to his side with a ice pack. "Bro! You have a migraine? You need to lay down?" He began to lead his brother to one of the couches. Relaxing a bit sounded very inviting at the moment. However, the sickening thought of Martin being vulnerable once more to those vultures... Caused the biologist to stand up straight and steer himself away from the couch.

"I'll be fine, I just need...some coffee." Chris insisted. "Dude, you had four cups this morning. Some water would do you good." His older sibling lightly chastised him as he withdrew a water bottle from his backpack before tossing it to Chris. The shorter Kratt drained the entire thing, yet even after that he still looked terribly uneasy. The taller Kratt wondered if his little brother should skip today's meeting to rest instead.

"Hey bro, why don't you-"

"No."

"But-"

"Martin! I am going to be fine. I just, forgot to take my meds again..."

"You took them this morning! I saw you do it before breakfast!"

"Oohh then, I'll take a break after the meeting. Come on dude, we gotta go."

Chris swiped his notebook and pencil case before marching out the door. Martin had no choice but to set down his backpack, lock up their room, and catch up to him. The blonde knew something was up with the brunette. Way more than the usual social anxiety he had been burdened with since they were kids. He swore his younger sibling had been staring at him weirdly since that day he raided the granola stash. The stares have amplified after they were informed about their part in Operation Frozen.

Whatever was bothering his best little buddy, Martin Kratt had to find out no matter what.