Okay, here's Jackandjill with her second POM story. Technically, it's my second, third, fourth, and fifth... here's the lowdown.

I'll be starting a series called the Flashback Series. It will be a four short-ish fanfics, each focusing on a different penguin, starting with Kowalski, then Rico, then Skipper, then finally Private. I started this as a series because I had a few different ideas, but they were quite similar, so I made it this way so it made more sense. Basically, each penguin has someone from their past come visit them somehow and we learn something new about their past. I took quite a few liberties, so please bear with me. I don't have a beta for this either, so feel free to provide any criticism, as long as you put it politely and constructively.
One more thing: all of the OCs in this series (except Rico's brother) are named after my real-life friends and family. For example, Katrina is the name of my super-genius cousin. She doesn't actually have fiction-Katrina's condition, I just added that for an extra touch to her personality.

So, here goes!

Flashback Series Part 1: Trusting You Blindly

The penguins stood in a single-file line on the edge of the their habitat's island. Skipper tapped his foot nervously. It was going to happen soon - they all knew it. It was almost 11:00 on Monday. That was usually when Alice released new arrivals so the next day's crowd could see.

"Kowalski!" barked out Skipper. "Run me by the details again."

"Well," he began, looking at his trusty clipboard, "we know he - or she - is coming from the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha - consequently, where I'm from… and, from overhearing Alice talking about 'fixing up the penguin habitat', I've assumed he/she must have some sort of impairment or affliction…"

He couldn't get any further, because the truck pulled up and parked beside the gate. Skipper, Kowalski, Private, and Rico stiffened their spines and Kowalski stashed the clipboard.
"O-kay, you penguins," Alice said, opening the door and taking out a wooden box. "You'd better be nice to this girl, she's got it rough!"

"Girl?" Private squeaked out.

Alice got into the habitat and set down the crate. As usual, though inexplicably, she left without opening it.

"Kowalski - take not. I think Alice is onto us. Rico, crowbar!"

*HACK!*

Kowalski scribbled a little stick figure with an exclamation point over her head as Skipper broke open the crate. He looked up. A flipper came into view, holding the side of the crate tightly, then the rest of the figure stepped out. Kowalski dropped his pencil in shock.

She was not the prettiest of penguins, with her stick-straight figure and large face. Her feathers were a little ruffled from the journey, but they might be the only pretty thing about her - so soft and glossy. But what stood out most about her were her eyes - her milky, bluish-white eyes. Obviously, she was blind.

She reached out and waved her flipper around, trying to find something to hold on to. She found Rico's shoulder.
"I'm really sorry if this feels awkward-" and it did, Rico was looking at her as if she'd come out of a UFO, not a wooden box "-but, could you tell me where I am, and who you are?"

"Miss," said Skipper, taking her flipper off a freaked-out Rico, "I'm the one to talk to. You're in New York City…" he was pretty sure Blowhole wouldn't use anyone with a disability, "I'm Skipper, that was Rico, and here's Private and -"

"Katrina!"

She turned sharply around towards the voice. The others thought Kowalski'd gone off his rocker.

"How do you know my name?" she - Katrina - said.

"Surely you remember me? We snuck out of the zoo and broke into the university almost every night - I studied science, you, music-"

"Kowalski!" she screamed with a look of pure joy on her face. Katrina threw her arms around his neck - almost as high as she could reach, she was about Skipper's height - and he hugged her back. She reached even higher, trying to reach the top of his head.

"My God, you've gotten tall!" she exclaimed.

"Well, last we saw each other, we were just a pair of puff balls starting to loose their down feathers…" he said. He was just so happy to see her! Kowalski continued to gently stroke her back - had her feathers always been so soft?

"Ahem." Skipper cleared his throat. Kowalski had forgotten the rest of the boys were still there, and watching with incredulous looks. He let go of Katrina, though still held her flipper for her own safety.

"What's wrong?" she asked what looked like the air.

"Well, missie," Skipper replied businesslike, "Kowalski's part of an elite penguin force now, and," he looked around, Alice was in her office, "since no one's around, I say it's time for some recon."

"Oh." she said dejectedly. Kowalski looked a little upset too. Skipper re-thought, Kowalski hasn't looked this upset since I said he couldn't go to the lemurs' stupid King-Julien-Day party…

"But I suppose you two have a lot to catch up on… fine. Me, Rico, and Private'll go."

Kowalski beamed. "Thank you, sir!"

"But you're cleaning the bathroom at next week's scheduled maintenance."

"Agreed."

Kowalski opened the hatch. As the rest of the boys jumped the fence. Rico winked suggestively at Kowalski, who blushed a little. The last thing he heard before he started to carefully help Katrina down the ladder was Skipper yelling out, "Fish-n-Bean burritos tomorrow night, boys!"

He thought of Rico's gas problems.

Oh no… oh, well.

Like I said, constructive criticism is appreciated! Thank you!