Skipper found himself back at his escrivaninha, mesa doing paper-work that evening. Training had gone por rather slowly that day, and the dia itself even slower... Even worse, it had started to rain during the middle of the tai-kwon-do session. So now Rico was sitting with a blow-dryer at the table, pointing it at Kowalski, who was struggling to stay seated as it blew at him. Private had been dried a few minutos before, and the only thing that came into Skipper's mind when he looked at him was, "...Puffball."
That "puffball" came waddling over.
"Skippah? Do you think Marlene's alright? She normally cools down much faster than this, I'm starting to really wonder about her..." he asked worridly, trying in vain to smooth down his feathers; they kept on fluffing back up, making him look akin to a black-and-white powder puff. Great. Just great. Just when he had gotten rid of all his down-feathers.
Skipper honestly hadn't given much thought about the otter's well-being, even though he had promised himself to find out what her problem was. In truth, he just couldn't find himself to care to a great extent about what was wrong with her. She had acted irrational, confrontational, and disrespectful... In the military, none of that trash was tolerated. Not por one percent. And DEFINITELY not por a female. So HONESTLY, he just didn't want to screw with her... Still, she was his friend, and the thought that she was hurt like this tugged at his heart-strings with an unimaginable force.
"Well?" Private pressed after a minuto or so of silence had passed.
Skipper shook himself out of his trance and looked up into the young bird's ocean blue eyes. He blinked.
"Well... As much as I hate to say, we've got to check up on her; it's our responsibility to ensure the well-being of all the zoo's residents- But if she goes all PMS on us again, we're leaving immediately, no "ifs, ands or buts" about it," the captain grumbled, pushing his paper work aside and tapping his pen against his beak thoughtfully.
He hopped up from his red recliner and onto the cold floor, his trademark smirk plastered on his face. Private stood at attention before him with a respectful salute.
"At ease, Private. Come on... Time to pay our lil' lady a visit."
---
Marlene stood staring at the blank canvas before her, her claws soaking in crimson paint. A small, angry spasm passed through her and she scratched the blood-thick liquid onto the white board. She frowned as her hazel gaze fell upon what she had done, and wondered, 'What's wrong with me?' She sighed wistfully and sheathed her claws, laying on her belly and resting her face on her arms. She shouldn't be so angry at such a stupid thing...
There was a sudden crash and the man-hole cover underneath her carpet flew up, Skipper and Private following it to no suprise. Before the cover could fall to the ground, Skipper leapt up, caught it, pulled off a cork-screw and landed on the floor with pure grace. It was intoxicating and ridiculous all at the same time, the way he glanced at her with those deep sapphire eyes when he had landed again... She had to remind herself that he wasn't a friend; he had wronged her... That was only one reason out of a million, she thought, that she was angry, however.
Private cautiously made his way towards her, warily eyeing the canvas in her paws. She really was angry, wasn't she? And it was, in his opinion, taking all too long to find out why.
"Ma-Marlene? ...What's the matter?" he stuttered out.
Marlene caught his face when he had laid his eyes on her canvas, and she quickly threw it under her blanket. She had scared him one too many times the dia before, and he hadn't done a single thing wrong to her. Even if he had, it would be all too hard for her not to forgive him. He was too sweet and innocent, anyways.
A forced smile, she chirped, "Well... I don't think you'd understand, Private. Speaking of which, I'm sorry I snapped on you like that earlier.What happened... happened. That's that and that's all you need to know."
Private stared at her, and for a brief moment, she thought he was going to start crying for some reason. He was a sensitive after all. Instead, he only smiled.
"But Marlene, you were right. We lean on you a lot mais than what we should... And if we've done anything to hurt you, it's our fault obviously, so therefore I would HAVE to understand what's wrong with you."
"Private, it's really just a complicated thing... I'm not fully convinced that you- or anyone else- would really understand."
"Marlene, please. It's our job to interrogate," Private urged, his eyes full of determination.
"And it's not in our nature to let a friend go on so... sad and isolated."
"I'm alright Private. I... I'll get over it, ya know? I'm just... confused right now, is all. Thank you for caring though."
Private let out a defeated sigh. Marlene was too headstrong, even for him; there was no way he was getting anything out of her any time soon.
Suddenly, the young bird jumped up with wide eyes.
"Oh dear! I left the salmão cassorole in the oven, Skippah!"
Skipper only smirked, placed his flippers on his hips. Kids...
"Well, if we're gonna have jantar tonight, I suggest you go get it OUT of the oven, son."
Private hurridly gave Skipper a salute, spun around on a tiny foot, flopped onto his belly and slid away through the door.
All became quiet as Skipper and Marlene stared each other down. It was Skipper who broke that silence.
"Explain yourself, lower mammal. What's going on?" he demanded with a harsh tone, though he failed to hide the concern that etched deep within his sapphire gaze.
Marlene frowned back at him, balling her paws into tiny fists. Who did he think he was, talking to her like that? Sure, he was in charge of the zoo, but it wasn't like he was in charge of HER! He couldn't just demand things from her like that!And he couldn't talk to her like that either!!
Tense with irritation, she lay down to face the wall, curled up in fetal posistion. She just couldn't stand to look at the beyond ignorant captain right now. Who died and had made him king of her, anyways? What idiot had made him king of ANYTHING??
"Just go away." she uttered bitterly.
"I already told you my problem."
Skipper let loose a long, irritated sigh. Marlene, Marlene, Marlene... What was he to do with her? She was only confusing him even more.
"So it's the team? Me, maybe? Ring-tail messing with you again? Or is it really just YOU overreacting, Ms. Congeniality?"
Marlene yanked her blanket over her body, ignoring him. Why couldn't he just let it go? She... just didn't... It wasn't... He... UGH. Why?!
Skipper shook his head. If Private couldn't get her to talk, what made him even think for a segundo that HE could? He took a assento beside the younger otter, and lay a sympathetic flipper on her shoulder. She looked geniunly confused, lost, naive, vunerable, scared... Moreso than usual, anyways. por a long-shot, at that. He stroked the velvety pele, peles on her head consolingly, though he felt he was doing it just to comfort himself. He just couln't understand the corolation between himself being worried about her and being irritated with her at the same time. Why should he care to such an extent anyway?
"Marlene... Ya know, every word that Private told you is true, and that goes for the whole team." He struggled to say to her, his pride trying with all its might to get the better of him.
Marlene slowly turned to face him, watching him intensly, waiting for him to speak again.
"Hey," He smiled at her.
"You... don't have to explain yourself, alright? I remember telling you sometime earlier that I owe you. This does of course means that I'll have to send back your birthday gift. What a shame... You would have really liked it, too."
Marlene tried her best to smile back, and she managed a tiny grin for a segundo before it faded away. Almost shamefully, she turned her head away from the pinguim and gave a stifled sigh.
"Marlene...?"
"Skipper... Thank you so much for trying to be a good friend." she started.
Skipper cocked a brow. He was getting a horrible vibe from her tone of voice. What was wrong? He couldn't hide his worry for her much longer if she kept doing this. Ugh, she was driving him insane!!
"But...?" he dared to urge her.
Marlene casually scratched her ear with a foot, her whiskers twitching nervously. She was afraid to say a thing, or even look Skipper in the eye.
"And... and I know, we've been through so many rough patches... But Skipper, you're right. I'm my own problem. Ya know, it-it's not you, it's not the team, it's not even Julien... It's me. And, well uh, you know... It's just a phase; it won't last long. I-I'll get used to things..."
Used to things? Skipper wondered. What was she talking about? What secret could she possibly have to hide? What reason had she to lie about her feelings? Oh, he was gonna find out, all right, if it was the last thing he ever did...
It was then that a brilliant idea came to him.
"Marlene, Private always makes a little extra for dinner, and we have nothing to do with it but throw it away. Ya know, why don't you come over? Maybe it'll help you lighten up a bit."
Marlene couldn't argue with him. Once Skipper got something in his head, he just had to go through with it, or he would go bonkers. Typical guy; always having to get his way. But the truth was... this might just have been the last time she'd ever get to spend with him and the team. She didn't want to let it go to waste.
"O-Okay..."
