" Penguin Pox Epidemic"
Hello and welcome to the "Penguin Pox Epidemic". BTW: It is another branch off of " In the Not too Distant Future". Don't worry, I don't plan on putting any character deaths in here or making it tragic. It is just a one shot idea that I had on my mind. Anyway. Please enjoy. Warning: Chapter may be revised, again.
Chapter 1
In the otter habitat, at the Central Park Zoo, Skipper and Marlene were hastily packing their kids' food into
their lunch boxes. " Kids," Marlene shouted. " It's almost time for you to leave for school."
" Coming," Maddie, who was at the age of nine and in the fourth grade, rang as she ran out of her room,
which was hidden in the back of the habitat. The black and white otter dashed over to the dinner table and
stood by Marlene. She was wearing a purple ski jacket, along with a matching scarf, beanie cap, and boots.
Ever since she got older, the couple decided to give her her own room by having Rico blow a hole in the wall
and excavate another cave. Also, in the process of making a cave for Maddie, he also made one for Max.
Max, who's eyes were droopier than usual after he wakes up, slowly waddled out of his room, which was
across from Maddie's. " Coming," he grunted in a scratchy tone as he stopped at the end of the table, which
was facing toward Marlene and Skipper's bed. He was still dressed in his blue Super Man footy pajamas,
which he had gotten for his birthday this year. Also, his brown and white feathers were dishevelled.
" Maxi, are you okay? You don't sound," Marlene piped, looked up, and widened her eyes. " Oh, my.
Skipper?"
" What is it," Skipper raised an eyebrow as he finished packing one of the lunch boxes then looked over at
the direction that Marlene was looking in. His widened his eyes, too. " Sweet marmalade," Skipper stuttered
out and he took a step back toward the cave exit of the otter habitat. " Stay away from me."
" Why," the five year old, Kindergarten Max shrugged.
" Look at your flippers," Maddie chirped.
" Is this suppose to be some type of joke," Max put his flippers on his hips. " Because it's not working."
" No, Son," Skipper uttered. " It's not a joke. Look."
Max looked down at his flippers. They were covered in small red dots. " Cool," Max hollered. " I can play
connect the dots. Wait until I show everyone at school."
" Uh, Max, I'm afraid your daddy and I can't allow you to go to school today," Marlene chimed.
" Why not," Max raised an eyebrow.
" Because you have the Penguin pox," Skipper whistled.
" Penguin pox," Max squeaked. " What's that?"
" It's a type of skin rash, which can be very irritable and can spread to other animals outside of our species.
Although, for some odd reason, they can't spread it back to the penguin species," Barbara retorted as she
and her sister came into the cave with Kowalski following not too far behind them. Doris was at work, aiding
to Darla the baboon. Apparently, she had spraigned her tail, while she was dancing. After that, Doris had
Kowalski take the girls with him and drop them off at the otter habitat on his way to the HQ. They were all
bundled up in jackets, scarves, and hats, too. It was about early December, but there was no snow on the
ground, yet.
" Huh," Max tilted his head at his cousin, who was wearing yellow.
" It's contagious like cooties," Debra, who was dressed in pink, groaned. She had caught the Penguin pox
from Barbara once, which had eventually changed into Dolphin pox.
" Oh," Max uttered as Marlene walked over to him and felt his forehead with her paw. He was steaming hot.
" I see that Max has finally caught the Penguin pox," Kowalski, who was dressed in green, stated as he
stood next to Skipper.
" I know," Skipper sighed. " I'm afraid."
" Why," Kowalski raised an eyebrow.
" I've never had the penguin pox before," Skipper said with a sigh.
" Did you get vaccinated from it, at least," Kowalski chimed.
" What do you think," Skipper raised his voice a bit.
" I'm going to take that as a no," Kowalski looked down at his feet then looked back up. " You know, if
you're afraid of catching the Penguin pox, you might want to consider getting the shot for it, today."
" And deal with the pain and the agony from that sharp needle," Skipper squawked. " No can do."
" Okay," Kowalski then folded his flippers. " But I fear I must warn you that the Penguin pox are far more
worse when adults catch them. According to Doris, adults who catch the Penguin pox have a one in two-
hundred and fifty chance of dying from them."
" I'll take my chances on those odds," Skipper stated, flatly with a smirk.
" Suit yourself," Kowalski groaned. " But if you catch them, you'll miss a week's worth of work. Not to
mention that you may have to go to the hospital due to a high fever."
" Kowalski," Skipper barked. " Whether I'm sick or not, I'll still go to work anyways. Plus it takes more than
a few itchy pimples and a fever to drag me down."
" Whatever," Kowalski rolled his eyes then looked up at the clock which was hanging above the exit of the
otter habitat. It was a quarter past seven in the morning, leaving only fifteen minutes until the schools
began their classes. " Girls," Kowalski turned to his daughters. " You might want to hustle to the central
furnace room. School's about to start soon."
" Okay, girls," Maddie winnied toward Barbara and Debra. " First off, what are our options for getting to
school on time?"
" I say we take Uncle Rico's skateboard," Barbara chimed. " It's got wheels, plus the three of us can fit on
it."
" I say we take your daddy's car," Debra piped. " It's much faster than a skateboard."
" That could work," Maddie nodded her head.
" Oh, no," Skipper snapped. " You're too young to be driving my car or any other motorized vehicle."
" But it's black with flames and it's cool," Maddie squeaked
" The answer is still no," Skipper stated, sternly.
" Come on," Maddie smiled then clasped her paws together while widening her sapphire blue eyes. "
Please. I'll clean the HQ for a week if you let me drive it."
" Alright, deal," Skipper smirked at her.
" Yes," Maddie hissed with a grin.
" Whoo, hoo," Debra tweeted.
" When you're fifteen and a half and have your learner's permit," Marlene added.
" Fifty and a half," Max shrieked. " Wow. That's how old you have to be to drive? Man you guys must be
really old."
"No, Maxi," Kowalski shook his head. " Fifteen and a half."
" Oh," Max mumbled then began scratching his flippers. " must these be so itchy?"
" Don't do that," Marlene snapped as she grabbed a hold of Max's flippers. " You'll only make them worse."
" Fifteen and a half," Maddie raised her voice a bit then moaned." Fish sticks."
" Daddy," Debra grinned at Kowalski.
" I concur with Skipper, Debra," Kowalski shrugged. " You and Maddie will have to wait approximately six
and a half years and have your learner's perment. Sorry."
" Aww," Debra and Maddie groaned as they folded their flippers and arms.
" Why don't you girls run to school," Skipper uttered. " That always worked for me."
" Okay," Maddie and Debra scoffed then ran or hopped outside toward the school, leaving Barbara behind.
" Hey," Barbara squawked then began waddling after them. " Wait for me."
" Kids," Kowalski chuckled as he looked over at Skipper and Marlene then paused. " I should probably follow
them and make sure that they get to the school safely. Meet you at the HQ."
Aww. Poor Max. Getting the Penguin pox. Anyways. Coming up next in Chapter 2. Catch what happens after Kowalski leaves. Please stay tuned and find out more. BTW: This story is supposed to happen before " Meet the Sergeants, in 2013". Thank-you for reading this message.