Chapter 4

"Want some sugar cookies?" Norm asked offering the trey of cookies to the penguin. Skipper looked up at Norm. He sighed, and then looked back down.

"No." The penguin answered mournfully. "I'm good." Norm put the trey down beside them, grabbed a cookie, and sat near Skipper as he took a bite.

"Mind telling me what got you in the dumps."

"Well, my army picked a platypus as their leader over me. I think they like his leadership better." He did another sigh.

"That's similar to my problem." Norm admitted. "Since he has those animals as his minions now, I'm left in the doghouse."

"Guess we're in the same boat." Skipper said. He looked at the robot. "Nobody wants us around anymore, we are invisible to them."

"Yeah." Norm agreed. "I guess we are." Then he held out the trey to Skipper. "So cookies? To help ease your sollow?"

"Yeah, thank you very much." Skipper grabbed a cookie and took a bite. The two continued looking at the ground, not talking for a while. Then Skipper broke the silence.

"You know, I don't need my friends. You're much better understanding then they are."

"Yeah." Norm agreed. "So are you. You'll much better then that stupid clumsy Dr. Doofenschirz." Skipper stood on the floor.

"Then why don't we form an alliance?" Norm looked at Skipper like he was crazy.

"What?" He asked.

"You know, me and you. We'll team up. You're understand my feelings and I'll understand yours, deal?" Norm then looked happy, he stood up and hugged Skipper tightly.

"Oh THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!" he said. "You're a true friend! You know if I wasn't a robot, I'll be crying with joy right now!"

"Great." Skipper scoffed in the tight grasp. "Now can you let me go so I can…breathe? You're choking me!"

"Sorry, I'm just so excited!" Then Norm dropped him back down. "So what do you want to do first BFF?" Skipper answered when he was done catching his breath.

"Let's go looking for adventure!"

"Yay!" Norm cheered. "You know, I like your thinking." They both started for the door.

"Gracious my friend, gracious."

"Skipper, Skipper!" Private called for their leader. The animals were in the storage room, looking and calling for Skipper. "Skipper, where are you?" He turned to Rico. "Any sign of Skipper Rico?" Rico shook his head sadly.

"Hmmm, I wonder where Skipper might be. It's not like him to run off like this."

"Well keep looking!" Kowalski told them. "We're not leaving without Skipper. Remember no penguin gets left behind." Then Kowalski muttered to himself. "Don't worry Skipper, we'll find you."

"Hello boys." Skipper said suddenly, he was on a box pile. They all turned to him.

"Skipper!" Private cried happily. "Thank goodness you're safe, we thought you might've been gone forever. Oh what a terrible tragedy that would have been!" Skipper jumped to the ground.

"Its good to have you back Skipper." Kowalski told him. "Now we can go back to the zoo."

"Oh gee." Skipper said. "I'd love to go back but…" He took out a remote and pressed it. The storage doors all closed. "I can't!" The penguins all gasped as Norm grabbed them and held them tightly. Perry looked at the horrible sight.

"Skipper." Private said. "What on earth are you doing?"

"Yeah." Kowalski added, trying to get free. "This is not like you at all. What happened?"

"I'm afraid I'm not in this group anymore boys." The penguins gasped.

"What you mean Skipper?"

"Don't play dumb on me. You all prefer beaver tail as your leader them me."

"Skipper that's not true." Private told him. "We always like you as a leader any ol' day. Besides Norm's one of the evil guys, we're the good guys; your friends." The penguins all nodded their heads.

"Doesn't matter!" Skipper told them. "You all neglected me for beaver tail, now you don't have me anymore and now you're all going to pay."

"Oh Skipper." Kowalski said.

"And now I won't be made of a fool no longer! Norm and I had made an alliance and together we will…"

Perry then whistled to the animals all to attack Norm. The tigers, hyenas, and elephants all charged towards the robot. Norm dropped the penguins.

"You may all come and hug me!" The animals attacked the robot. Skipper looked in shock at his "friend."

"Come on!" Private said as he dragged him as they all went home.

"Norm, are you okay?" Dr. D. asked. Then to the animals, "Shoo, shoo! Out with you all; don't go attacking my friend." The animals all retreated as Dr. D helped Norm to his feet.

"Norm, I'm sorry I made you feel invisible. I can't defeat my nemesis all by myself. So would you like to help?" Norm smiled and hugged his inventor tightly.

"Oh you love me again!" The robot cried in delight. "Thank you sir! Of course I'll help you defeat the platypus; you can count on me sir!" Through the tight hug, Dr. D managed a smile.

"I always have." Dr. D said.

Meanwhile back in the penguin habitat, the penguins got back when the monitor turned on. Major Monogram appeared on screen; he was baby talking to a pink blanket that was in a pink baby carriage.

"Goochi goochi goo!" He said as they herd a baby's laugh. "And who's a good girl? Who's a good girl?" They herd the laugher and Major Monogram's laugh. "Yeah, sweet Sophia. sweet, sweet Sophia."

"Uh sir?" Karl said to his boss. "You're on again." Monogram looked up.

"Oh." He said when he saw them. "Well you all did a good job penguins, awesome job indeed!"

"Hey who're you talking to?" Private wanted to know.

"Agent Ps, allow me to show you my new niece." Monogram showed them the female baby. Perry and the penguins aahed at the cute sight. "My one day old, Sophia."

"Ahhhh." Said Private. "She's so cute and tiny."

""Of course." Kowalski agreed. "All babies are."

"So I guess Monogram's ballet class excuse would work now huh?"

"Oh yeah!" Monogram remembered. "Which reminds me…" He looked at Karl. "I told ya so, I told ya so!" The penguins laughed. Perry just smiled.

"Well it was a swell time we had together." Private told Perry when he got ready to leave.

"Remember to say safe." Kowalski reminded the platypus. "And have a good future ahead of you."

"Ra, ra!" Rico grunted.

After Perry shook Private, Rico, and Kowalski's flippers, he exited the habitat. The penguins waved to him.

"Bye!"

"We'll see ya!"

"Ra, ga!"

After they were done; they went inside and saw Skipper packing. They froze in place.

"Skipper?" Kowalski asked "What on earth are you packing your bags for?"

"Yeah." Private added. "And you didn't say goodbye to beaver tail."

"I'm leaving boys." The penguins gasped.

"Oh Skipper." Kowalski said. "Not this again."

"If you prefer that platypus then me." Skipper said, walking to the door. "Then so be it! If you need me, I'll find other men who actually want me as their leader."

"But Skipper." Private spoke. "We want you."

"No Private, you got beaver tail. He's better at being leader then I am."

"That's not true, and he's leaving." Skipper paused.

"Skipper." Kowalski told him. "We'll sorry we hurt your feelings and made you feel invisible; the truth is we think you're a great leader and should never depart from us."

"Oh really?"

"Yes really, remember N.P.G.L.B."

"What's N.P.G.L.B?"

"No penguin gets left behind. We need a leader Skipper, and that's you. Can you do it?"

"Ra we?"

"We need a leader to the max!" Private added. Skipper then put down his bags and group hugged them.

"Of course, I'll stay with your guys!" Skipper told them. "You're too good of a team to depart. But you have to promise me something."

"Sure, anything." Private told him. "What do you want?"

"Promise me that N.P.G.L.B ever again."

"DEAL!!" Then all of the penguins high- flippered each other.

The End