They dashed through the water. Rocky waves thrashed above. A stormy sky blew its wrath upon the ocean. It was like a child's tantrum, pelting rain to the water's surface non-stop. Every trace of light from the sky was masked kwa the clouds.
Beneath the surface of the water were the five penguins. Rico was occupying himself kwa snacking on every samaki that swam by. They were actually quite beautiful with a certain grace. Their vivid colored scales shimmered under the reflected light.
Skipper turned his head to find Private missing from his side. He stopped, and scanned around for his soldier. His answer was soon revealed to him, when he saw Private with a struggling samaki in his beak.
Celeste was in front of him, and he offered her the samaki in a gentle-penguin way, as a sign of courtship. She blushed, looked down at her feet, and smiled. "Thank you, Private." She alisema underwater. She made it look easy. Private gave a puzzled stare. She shrugged, which made them both laugh silently. Skipper grabbed Private, and pulled him away.
Kowalski and Rico swam up to Celeste. Out of Rico's mouth, Kowalski pulled various examining tools. Melonchally spread through Celeste's body, as she realized she could name all of them.
Private's moyo fluttered, as he stared back at her. He had never felt this way. He would go to the ends of the earth to just be with her, hold her flipper, but Skipper would go the same distance to keep them apart probably. Why, though? What was he afraid of?
Private emerged for air. He took a big gulp. He had been traveling for hours. Skipper came up inayofuata to him, doing the same.
"Why couldn't we just use the submarine, Skippah?" Private whined.
"We were in a hasty retreat, Private." Skipper defended his decision.
"Yeah, but it would be faster getting there, if we had it."
"Such luxuries aren't essential on a rescue mission."
"Besides, what is the plan when we get there? Just waltz in, and expect them to set the wanyama free?"
"Well, that's what goes on in your little world, right, Private?"
"What are wewe afraid of?!" Private snapped.
"What wewe mean, soldier?"
"Celeste, why are wewe so afraid of her?!"
"I'm not!"
"Then, why do wewe keep dragging me away from her?! wewe don't control my life, Skippah! You're not even my father! Just stop, okay?!" Private screamed, and began plunging back down. Skipper pulled him back up.
"Hey, I'm your Skipper! I don't take orders! Now, first off, we're going to talk about your behavior and attitude-" Skipper scolded. He was interrupted kwa Kowalski, Rico, and Celeste coming up farther in front of them. "Land!" Rico cheered. They both turned their heads. Up ahead was a beach, pwani full of locals and tourists, tanning and constructing sandcastles.
"Kowalski, options… and analysis." Skipper commanded.
"We've ended up in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I suggest the classic 'Great White Maneuver'." Kowalski shared a grin with his leader. "It never disappoints." Skipper rubbed his flippers together.
Private floated to the surface of the water, belly-up. His eyes were open, but didn't shift, nor did his body. Red substances trickled down his stomach-from puncture wounds-and floated into the water.
A dark fin sliced through the water, circling him in great speeds. "Private!" Kowalski screamed. The camotion startled everyone on the beach.
Everything was silent for a moment. Then, Private was pulled under with savage splashing. Even zaidi of the liquid filtered through the salty water.
"Shark!" People cried, as they raced off the beach, and tripped out of the water. Above the seagulls screeched, when they flew by. "Everybody out of the water!" A lifeguard called. They dashed down the doons away from the beach.
Skipper stepped onto the soggy sand. It squished under his webbed feet with a sinking sound. He put his fins of his hips, and inhaled a deep breath of the salty air.
"Ah, the Outer Banks," he reminsced. "haven't been here, since that mission with Manfreedi and Johnson."
The rest of the team trudged up, after him, includind Private. He was covered in red that seemed to be smearing off.
"Uh, Skipper, I Rico actually bit me!" Private tattled, examining his flipper.
"Shfxkgxnkh!" Rico exclaimed.
"I know, wewe were getting into character!" Private went on.
"Nice touch with the chakula coloring, Rico!" Skipper congratulated. "And marvelous acting, boys! wewe almost made me believe there was a papa in the water."
"There's worse," Kowalski said. They all stopped what they were doing, and listened. "there's Rico." They all burst out some laughter, except Celeste. Private glanced her way, but she turned her head. What was she upset about? Private thought. Whatever she was mad about, Private didn't like it.
He waddled over. "Hey, are wewe all right?"
"Private," She sighed, "we need to talk."
"But why?!"
"You didn't do anything-it's me."
"What's wrong?!" Private cried. Everyone came to a hault in what they were doing, and stared. She glanced at them, but looked back.
"I have to go hunt. I'll be back later." She njiwa into the waves, and swam off. Before they knew it, she had vanished into the salty ocean.
"What was that about?" Kowalski asked.
Rico shrugged, "I dunno,"
"She just stormed off." Whimpered Private.
"Fickle female," Skipper sighed.
"If it wasn't me, then what was it?" Private pondered, and stepped closer to the tide. A flipper rested on his shoulder.
"It's all right, Private." Kowalski comforted. "It can be hard."
Private just shook his head, and sat down in the tall green grass. While he sat, his teammates worked. Rico hacked up some wood, and the began working on shelter and building a fireplace.
"How about a flipper, Private? We could use you." Skipper called to his soldier in a friendly tone. He wiped his forehead.
"No thanks," Private moaned. He plopped onto his back-deeper into the ripe blades.
Clouds grew zaidi and zaidi thick, as the wind picked up. Yet the sunset in the evening sky fought through. It almost seemed as if the sky was on fire. The radiant colors reflected of the waves. Even the clouds seemed to have a hint of purple. A floruesent dhahabu stretched out from the sun, and darken into a orange-then bright pink that surrounded it.
"Ooo!" Private exclaimed. He eventually started waddled to his starstruck friends.
"Pretty isn't it?" Skipper asked.
"Wow," Rico gasped.
"Yes, the effects of Rayleigh Scattering can be lovely."
"What?!" Asked Rico.
Kowalski grunted. "The stuff that makes the sky blue." There was a collective "Oh!" Private remembered laying in the nyasi in the park. He reminsced about the tender look in her eyes. He could smell her natural perfume and breath. And most importantly he still felt the spark of her beak touching his. It was almost intoxicating. He closed his eyes, and dreamed of her arrival.
Then, she came! She look up at them from the beach. Her eyes were a deep blue. "Celeste!" Private shouted, and embraced her fin in his.
"We need to talk." She said, avoiding eye contact.
"I'm ready," Private nodded. They headed down the beach. Farther and farther from the three penguins. They sat down in the grass.
"You know, wewe were gone all day. I spent the whole siku waiting for you. wewe could've at least told me that wewe were going to be gone all siku and where wewe were going." Private snarled bitterly.
"Private, wewe don't understand!" Celeste cried. Tears were in her eyes.
"Why? I would if you'd tell me!"
"Because if I didn't leave then… I would have Lost my calm! Skipper would be dead!" She shouted, but soon regretted it.
Private winced. "What?!"
"Private," She took a breath, "just let me explain."
"Gladly!" Private gulped.
"It started the siku we met. When the mashua was flipped over, I pulled Skipper under. Then, it-my prey-drive was immediately hooked onto him. Part of my added senses from testing was the prey-drive of a wolf. A mbwa mwitu will go on days stalking and toying with prey, until it finally…gets what it wants. It'll do whatever it takes in a certain point of time. I don't want to-I can't hurt you, Private. I need to stop and leave wewe alone before that. It's getting zaidi and zaidi harder to control. Skipper was flailing around. I almost killed him. Private, I'm so sorry! I just can't handle it! I'm not strong enough!"
"Did wewe ever care about me? au was this all just some plan to get to Skippah?!"
"I do! Private, please! wewe have to believe me!"
"That night, wewe asked me about Skippah...that's why! I can't believe this!" Private connected skeptically.
"Please, wait!"
He stormed off, as she sat with her face in her fins. He slumped down into the same spot, and folded his flippers with an "angry-at-the-world" glare. He watched the moto blaze farther down the beach. His Marafiki surrounded it. Rico glanced back at him, and whispered the news to Skipper and Kowalski.
Skipper jogged over. "Hey, Private! Where's Celeste?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Oh! All right, uh… wewe wanna… um… do something?"
"Like what?"
"Uh… how about some ball? We can toss. Rico's probably got-"
"No, Skippah!" Private snapped. Then, instaneously remorse grew in Private. Skipper just wanted to spend time with him.
"I'm sorry, Private. You're welcome to sit with us. wewe are part of the team."
"You know what… tossing sounds great!" Private smiled. Skipper grinned.
"Hey, Rico! Ball!" Skipper called. His pyschotic soldier gagged up a ball. The two other penguins joined in. The ball flew through the air. They cheered, and laughed. Private even found himself having fun. Skipper also seemed zaidi joyful than usual. It was the best time they'd had in a long time.
Celeste watched from a distance, restraining her self like a beast. Her eyes were still blue and glum. Oh how she yearned to be with them. To be with Private. She wished to fit in with other penguins. To be normal.
They tossed, until the sun went on. They sat around the gleaming moto for warmth.
"I think, I'm a little-" Kowalski yawned, but didn't finish before falling asleep. Soon Rico fell to the ground just as Kowalski did-only he began snoring.
"Soo," Skipper said.
"So what?" Private asked.
"What's uh… going on between wewe and Celeste."
"You probably wouldn't understand."
"Try me,"
"Oh okay… imagine wewe liked some one."
"Celeste,"
"Yeah, but that person…" Private sighed, "Nevermind." They both paused. Private could tell Skipper was thinking something. Oh dear what could it be? Private thought.
"You know, you're beginning to scare me."
"I am? Why?" Private questioned, but was actually thinking, Shoot! Shoot! Does he know?
"Private, it was literally just yesterday wewe were still hugging your lunacorn toy. And now, it seems like you're... all grown-up. It's like... I missed my chance to spend time with you."
"Oh."
"I mean, wewe and Celeste were just getting to know each other and now wewe say you're in upendo with her."
"I am, Skippah. I just know it."
"It just feels like you're growing up too fast. You've never had a real parent, and I'm so sorry."
"Skippah?"
"I'm just worried about you." Skipper admitted with a sigh. Private then realized what was wrong with Skipper. He had been so blinded kwa his upendo of Celeste that he had forgotten his friends. Skipper probably heard what he'd alisema in the park. Skipper took care of him, when no one else did. No matter how many quirks Skipper had, he was still his father figure throughout his life.
"Skippah, I'm sorry."
"Why? wewe shouldn't be. It's not your fault. No one should be sorry for growing-up. I'm sorry for not spending time with you."
"I'm not grown-up yet."
"I know,"
"I'll always be your Young Private, and you'll always be my Skippah. You've aliyopewa me so much that I take for granted."
"What? Use wewe as an expendable soldier?"
"But wewe really care." Private said. Private hugged his leader.
"Skippah,"
"Yes, Private."
"What should I do about Celeste? I know wewe think she's trouble, and wewe may be right. But I really need some help."
"That's a choice wewe have make. wewe have to follow your gut. I know you'll do the right thing."
Private pondered for a moment. Should he tell him? What would he do if he knew? But what if he didn't know, and Celsete couldn't control herself.
Then awful thoughts disturbed Private. If Celeste hadn't decided to leave, he wouldn't be talking to Skipper right now. It's both mind-boggling and spine-tingling how one decision could chance a fate. But Private was grateful for that decision, and all the decisions that led him to Skipper.
Skipper looked up at the stars. "Beautiful, huh?"
"Yeah. Ooo, look that one looks like a lunacon!"
"It does," Skipper agreed. Then, he pointed at a consolation. "Hey, there's a fish!"
"Skippah,"
"Yes, son,"
"Why did my parents… wewe know, leave me?"
"Private, I don't understand, why anyone in their right mind would abandon you. It doesn't even make sense. It's almost like using the words Dr. Blowhole and winning in the same sentence. wewe could put not in there-but wewe get my point. wewe were so young. Too young, to be sent away from your parents to jiunge an elite team of penguins. I felt sorry for you. If I could take all of that away from you, I would. It's just not fair that the sweetest little in penguin, auk in the world would end having me to take care of him."
"I wasn't the 'sweetest little penguin' before I met you. I just learned from the greatest Skipper."
Skipper smiled, and yawned. "Goodnight, Private." Skipper laid down. Private followed, and rested his head on Skipper's chest. This way, if Celeste urges to hurt Skipper, I'll be ready, Private thought. Private nuzzled Skipper's feathers.
"Goodnight, Skippah."
Private woke-up the inayofuata morning. The beach, pwani looked beautiful in the morning sunlight. The waves rolled in gently. The burnt wood left a smoky smell in the sea air. Private could almost taste them. He was about to get up, when he realized he wasn't resting his head on Skipper's belly. It was some one else.