It was a normal Friday morning, for the Penguins. Skipper was having his fish-coffee, Kowalski was experimenting, Rico was helping him, and Private was watching the 0800 hours airing of the Lunacorns. As Skipper gulped down the last of the brown liquid, he glanced at the clock.
"Alright, men," he annouced, placing down his mug. "Zoo hours start in fifteen minutes. Time to get your tail-feathers top-side, and your act in gear!" Each of the Penguins stopped what he was doing, and was top-side in a flash.

"Today is a field-trip day," Skipper told his men, pacing up and down in front of them. "We got to get out cute and cuddly routine perfect, to please the kiddies. Any questions? No? Good. Commence operation: please-the-kids!"

Moments later, the zoo gates swung open, and children flooded into the zoo, as bus after bus stopped, letting mais and mais kids off, before driving off. The zoo was mais crowded than the weekend. Soon, the Penguins were performing for hundreds of noisy children, they could hardly hear Skipper give the orders for tail-wagging, or belly-sliding. Eventually, the swarms of kids left, looking at the other habitats, or being toured por Alice. Finally onaly one little girl was left, wathcing Private waddling, and smiling sweetly (the other three were taking a break). The girl giggled, and waved at Private, who waved back.

No-one noticed the girls back-pack, which was on the ground, open ever-so-slightly, and the teeny tip of a ray-gun poked out. That is, no-one noticed until a blue beam shot out, and hit Rico square in the chest, causing him to fall backwards. The girl didn't noticed, because she had turned away, and, picking up her now closed back-pack, moved to a different habitat.

Skipper and Kowalski and Private rushed to Rico's side, who was just sitting up.
"Rico, are you alright?" Skipper asked. "Speak to me, man!"
Rico looked confused for a moment. His feathers seemed softer than usual, Kowalski noticed, and they were grayer.
"Skipper," Kowalski said. "I think that ray-gun that shot him was a youth gun."
"Meaning?" Skipper asked.
"It'll reverse his life-cycle, over a matter of days. Eventually, he'll be in his egg, again, and reverse developing, until he's no longer existing."
"What?" Private gasped. "But, it can't be!"
"I'm afraid it is," Kowalski replied. "If I get that youth gun, I can reverse the polarity, and bring him back from un-development, but we just have to find it."
"Did you get a good look at that girl?" Skipper asked Kowalski.
"Sorry, Skipper," Kowalski sighed.
"I did!" Private answered.
"Excellent," Skipper nodded. "Private, come with me, and we'll find that girl. Kowalski, see what you can do for Rico. How long have we got?"
"At the rate of his, let's say, development of youthfullness, I'd say you have about 24 hours to find the gun, get it back here, and let me fix it, before he's back in his egg. Once he's in the shell, it'll be too late."
"Then, commence operation: un-baby Rico! mover out!"