A week later…

Rico was standing near Marlene’s cave entrance when he noticed a small, yellow slip of paper on the ground. Of course he was curious, so he decided to bend down and remove it from the concrete. It appeared to be folded in half. Rico narrowed his eyes in order to better focus as he unfolded the yellow paper. He slowly read what someone had written upon it. Once he finished, Rico folded it back and turned to head into the cave.

Marlene was recovering well from her little episode with Skipper. However, there were times when Rico could easily tell that she yearned for a different outcome. He found her while she was rearranging some of her furniture. It was a simple tap on the shoulder that caused Marlene to turn and face the penguin.

“Oh, Rico, don’t sneak up on me like that!” she laughed after having been startled a bit. After regaining her stability, Marlene immediately noticed the yellow slip in Rico’s flipper, “Hey, whatcha got there?” the выдра, оттер questioned, impulsively reaching for the paper. Quickly, Rico stepped back and shook his head with a grunt.

Although Marlene was disappointed by this, she almost understood that this was probably very important for Rico.

“So…is there something Ты wanted to tell me?” she asked with her hands on her hips.

Rico merely looked the выдра, оттер in the eyes and she knew.

“You’re…leaving?” Marlene’s arms dropped to her sides. After spending еще than a месяц with the penguin, Marlene had almost forgotten that Rico was a part of someone else’s family.

Rico simply nodded in a sad manner.

“Well…” the выдра, оттер smirked. She assumed that Rico knew what he was doing, “…don’t forget to visit a little, okay? Tell Skipper I сказал(-а) Hi…”

The пингвин stepped вперед and wrapped his flippers around the otter, nuzzling her neck with his beak.

“It was nice to have Ты here…” she whispered, wishing that she had сказал(-а) so much more.

She wanted to thank Rico for comforting her after Skipper ran out on their date. She also wanted to thank him for simply keeping her company. It was always nice to have someone around the cave. Unless, of course, they happened to be an obnoxious walrus that practically lives off of those surrounding them. But, that was a story to be left untold. Right now, this very brief embrace was the only thanks that Marlene could give to Rico. Hopefully it would do him justice for his care and support.

Rico unexpectedly broke the hug, stepping away from the выдра, оттер for the last time. Then, without another glance, Rico turned and made his way out of the cave.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Private, please stop crying. You’re going to have to Переместить one, sooner или later…” Kowalski was standing behind a sitting Private, who insisted on crying at least once a day, since Skipper’s death.

Rico hopped down from the fishbowl entrance…

Kowalski swiftly turned to examine the Источник of the sound. When he discovered that it was Rico, Kowalski released a sigh and gave a warm smile.

“Rico…what are Ты doing here?” he walked forward, еще than happy to see another face of the team.

However, he was instantly reminded of Skipper’s death. He hadn’t told anyone, as of yet.

“If…if you’re looking for Skipper, he…well…he’s gone…” Kowalski chose his words, carefully.

Rico didn’t say anything. He only insisted on handing the yellow piece of paper towards Kowalski. The intellectual didn’t hesitate in retrieving the paper from him. Before unfolding it, Kowalski gave Rico a cautious glance. From there, his eyes re-positioned themselves onto the paper. After Чтение it, Kowalski frowned and looked up to Rico.

“Are Ты sure about this, Rico?”

Rico nodded. But, this time, the пингвин smiled and jerked his head to the side; a manner of beckoning for Kowalski to follow him. In response, Kowalski chuckled and shook his head.

“No, thank you. But…I should probably look after Private. I hope Ты understand…” Kowalski smiled with folded flippers.

Rico sighed and rolled his eyes while giving Kowalski a smirk.

“This is it, I suppose…” the intellectual stepped вперед and gave his friend a loving hug.

Rico returned the favor, making it last much longer than expected.

After a very long moment, Rico released Kowalski and turned to climb up the ladder. Kowalski simply smiled and watched as his friend left through the fishbowl hole. After Rico was gone, Kowalski took this time to study the yellow paper once more.

Need a friend? -Blowhole

Kowalski read the line over and over again with a grin. Underneath, there were directions. But, they served no purpose for Kowalski. He never thought that Rico, of all penguins, would go through with this. But, if it was what he wanted, then Kowalski wouldn’t fight it. It’s best to let a пингвин live their life the way they believe they should. Things are much less complicated, that way…

Kowalski couldn’t help but chuckle again as he thought to himself. It seemed as though the entire team had their own psychological problems. At least some of them managed to make it through the depressing times alive. Perhaps he’ll never find out why Skipper committed suicide. But, at this point, it didn’t matter to him. He no longer wished to reminisce on bad memories.

It was time to Переместить on.

“K’walski!!” Private screamed from across the room.

“Yes, what is it, Private?” Kowalski made his way towards the troubled one.

“I’m…ready to tell Ты about Skippa…”

“Skipper? What about him?” he asked, sitting Далее to the small penguin.

“Remember? Ты asked me…why I didn’t want to get close to him…a long time ago…” Private sniffled in between his words, trying his best to stop the tears.

Kowalski soon recalled what he was referring to. There were many times when Private had made attempts to avoid Skipper. But, when questioned, Private remained silent. It seemed as though he would finally receive the Ответы that he desired.

“I don’t think he was thinking right, K’walski. He woke me up, one night, and told me…to follow him. He brought me to a dark place in the zoo, and…I think he hit me on the head или something. I fell down and I couldn’t move, but…I could still see him…and hear him…but, he didn’t know it. He started crying and…said he was sorry. It sounded like he was talking to his Mom, but…no one was there. He started to scare me, but I couldn’t do anything. He bent down, got on вверх of me, and…he started…”

“You mean…?”

Private covered his face with his flippers and nodded as he whimpered.

Kowalski shook his head, not believing a word of it. It didn’t sound like Skipper, at all.

“Are Ты certain that Ты were-”

“YES, K’WALSKI!” Private shut his eyes and screamed loudly.

Poor Private. It wasn’t until now when Kowalski realized that Private had been a witness to everyone’s problems. The only one that still had a bit of innocence left within himself, and he was the very one that was forced to suffer for everyone’s mistakes. Well, Kowalski wouldn’t leave him; that was certain. He would suffer with him.

Kowalski didn’t say anything else for a while. He had to admit, though, that this story perfectly fit with the one that Skipper had told him, a месяц ago. Apparently, Skipper staged Private’s absence from день one, Актёрское искусство as though Private had merely wandered away during the night. It was all a part of Skipper’s plan, from the beginning. He couldn’t blame the leader, though. He was probably terrified of what the others would have thought of him. He didn’t want to relive the guilt that his parents forced upon him, as a chick.

The intellectual couldn’t stand to listen to Private’s sobbing and bawling any longer. Therefore, Kowalski looked to his side and noticed a pair of conveniently placed ear muffs. He decided to grab them and slowly placed them around Private’s head. He felt as though Private would be better off with them, instead. From here, Kowalski scooted closer to Private and wrapped a single flipper around his back, holding him close. Private leaned his head on Kowalski’s side, continuing his weeping.

Then, Kowalski whispered the only thing that he could think of.

“I’m sorry…”

-------------------------------------------------

-THE END-