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The Legacy Of Past
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Disclaimer: I do not own PoM
Chapter 1 – Prologue
"And give me one reason why should I stay!" She yelled with fury "Don't you see how much you've changed? Don't you see that you hurt everybody around you who still cares for you? Actually the only ones who still remains by your side? You are not the penguin I knew!"
"And how should I act? Like nothing happened? Maybe you can still can put a mask of emotionless and fearless soldier but let's be honest you also have changed inside, and your grief is consuming you from inside, say it, you can't hold it anymore" A male penguin yelled back.
"Yes, this loss has changed our lives but we were supposed to stick together, but I no longer can. Without them we are falling apart, you must understand why I have to do this, why the hell you can't get it, I NEED TO PROTECT YOU!" She shouted and tears she couldn't hold back were falling down her cheeks.
"I don't need your protection Katherine! Not this way… understand that I can't let you do it for me" He said a little calmer.
"You have known me for long enough to know that I can handle it. You need to be safe, and if I don't do that… you know what will happen" Katherine said and wiped away tears that she hated so much and has never shown.
"But it is like a sentence of death for you… Kath.. I can't lose the next person I care for.." He said with a broken voice.
"You know what we have to do to keep him safe" Katherine said gesturing toward an egg that was lying in pillows on a desk. She put her flipper on his shoulder and said calmly "I will take all the guilt on me, I promise they won't get me, I will figure out the way to get out of the prison and then I will hide away. It will turn any attention from you toward me, I will hunt down all our enemies to finally make this world safe for both of you, I swear"
"But Kath…"
"Shhh" She whispered "For now, to the world he must remain dead" she pointed with her head at the egg "You will find a hideout and take care of him and those two orphans, you promised to take care of before their parents' death"
"But if you do this, the whole world will turn against you, you will be the public enemy number 1, you won't find a safe place!"
"Just calm down I have enough of that, remember that now YOU are the public enemy in Denmark" She frowned "I can take care of myself, you know that not only my honor obligates me to kill that one-eyed dolphin with cold blood, you know he took everything from us! I NEED to kill him and every other enemy that stood on our way in the past! It is the only way!"
"There is always another way!" He shouted "Do you think this is what Johnson wanted for you when he gave his life to save his loved one?!"
"Do not… Just…" she needed to clung to the edge of the desk and shook "I think you perfectly know how it feels when you lose someone you love… Yet you have to remind me that pain" she cried.
"I'm sorry Kath, I didn't mean to…" He apologized "I know how you loved each other…"
"Listen now" She calmed herself down and put on serious face "Take the egg, and the orphans, Kowalski and Rico, to a safe place where you can train them as you promised. I will do what I have to…"
"You know that we wouldn't be able to contact with each other… And that there's a possibility that we will never see each other again?" He said and felt tears in his eyes although he has never cried.
"Stay strong, like we all have always done. You were the best soldier I have known and you will be the best leader and protector for them" She said and smiled a little.
"Is this a farewell?" He asked "Then I don't want it" he stated coldly and turned his back.
"Goodbye then, Skipper…" She whispered with sadness knowing that she is about to face her fate that was shrouded with darkness.
Several years later…
"Caleb, where are we?" Katherine asked her lieutenant. She and her team were in a ventilation tunnel of Blowhole's lair, hidden on an island.
A tall penguin with brown eyes and spiky feathers on his head looked down through a crate. Then he started writing something in his notebook.
"According to my calculations, we're over Blowhole's warehouse" he stated.
"Okay, here's our destination. Heather, give me a rope" Katherine ordered.
"Wait a second…" Heather, the weapons specialist who was a penguin with green-blue eyes, took a rope from her bag and handed it to Katherine. She took the crate away and tied the rope making sure it won't fall with her.
"It's like a bungee jump. Have you ever done a bungee jump?" Katherine asked. They shook their heads giving an uncertain look at the ground that was far far below.
"We were parachuting as a military training but we've never done a bungee jump for a kilometer!"
"It's not that high okay?" Katherine said rolling her eyes.
"We are not far from being noticed, so we'd better move quickly. Keep the weapons with you and don't hesitate to kill, got it?" she said and tied the rope to her belt with weapons. Before they could say anything, she jumped down with no hesitation.
It was awesome, feeling air slipping through her feathers. She spread her flippers and felt as if she was flying. The amazing feeling didn't take a long time, after few seconds she stopped a few inches above the ground.
Katherine untied the rope from her belt and left it for the others. She went further meanwhile the rest slipped down by the rope.
"H-hey, don't leave me here, you know that I'm afraid of height!" they heard a scared voice and looked up. It was their private, Tom.
"If you jump, the ground gets nearer and nearer, right?" Katherine said.
"Okay, I think that makes a sense" Tom replied.
"Don't forget to grab the rope earlier"
"Okay, okay"
While the rest were looking around the room, Tom slipped down by the rope with a scream.
Katherine said "The point is we need to find something that blowhole used for his massacres. Caleb, options"
"I think mirrors are the best for lasers." Liam replied.
"No, you see these are not lasers like that. It's a silent alarm. If you touch it and the silent alarm switches on and everyone knows you're here. It's a security system so I guess that if one of us turns off the power which is situated at the end of this laser room we will come though unnoticed" Katherine said and passed with agility the first few lasers. Then she did a few somersaults and slipped towards the power. She took of the cover and looked at the algorithm. For a normal person it would look like a human organism system, for her it was a simple combination which Johnson, her old teammate had taught her.
Without any other difficulties they made their way to the stairs that was probably leading to Blowhole's main base. It was not good, like a silence before the storm, it could mean a trap and Kath kept her guard so nothing could surprise her. The target was simple, find Blowhole, trick him into telling her about the powerful weapon he was using, get it and take to the Headquarter, so she could get her clear her name and honor.
"Are you ready?" She asked her team. They nodded so they could realize their plan. "She took her gun and fired her gun. As the sound of her shot silenced, they heard footsteps to see a little army of lobsters. "Now, let's do it" she said and their threw themselves into the fight.
Several minutes later they were taken by the lobsters to the base, and thrown in the middle of it. Many machines and experiments were surrounding the place, there were lobsters working on some projects. Then they heard an evil laugh, which Kath hated so much. She stood up and waited to face her arch-enemy. Finally she got her own target. She knew that this time the bottlenose dolphin was not going to stay alive.
"Blowhole. Long time no see" Katherine said and forced herself into ironic smile.
"Yeah, mutually. How are your parents… oh, wait, I killed them. And your sister as well" Blowhole lauged and smiled at her enjoying the anger Kath tried so much to hide. She narrowed her eyes, she wanted so bad to attack him, kill him. But she knew that she had to keep calm and wait.
"And I still haven't avenged them, maybe it's a good time to give it a try" she replied.
"I guess it is, but do tell me what made you to come here with a team? I mean, you are always the solo one"
"Do tell me what death you had chosen"
"Oh, are you serious? That's adorable knowing the fact that you are on a lost position" The dolphin said "However I don't have much time, let's just move on to the fight scene, shall we?"
"Do you really think that your lobsters stand a chance against the worlds most wanted spies?" Katherine smiled.
"Has anyone mentioned the lobsters?" Blowhole said with a dangerous smile and suddenly dark mist surrounded them, and a wave of coldness blew. From the mist came out a hooded figure, wrapped in black. Then others followed it. Their faces were hidden.
"Katherine… I'm afraid I don't have any options" Caleb said as they stepped back from the creatures.
"Just attack, use the best of your skills" She said and slid toward the black warrior. As she tried to hit it, the creature scratched her cheek. Kath silenced the pain from her bleeding cheek and did a dodge from the next attack. She quickly fired her gun at the enemy and it faded.
"Seems like weapons are good against them" she stated and looked at her teammates. "Let's see if I can do it with my flippers" she whispered to herself, making a fast dodge. She rolled on the floor to be behind the enemy she jumped on its back and grabbed the head of it searching for its neck. She put all the strength she had to twist it. The creature stabbed her flipper with its claws, she yelped a little but gathered her strength to finally break its neck. The creature fell with a hiss to the ground and when she was about to check what was hiding under the hood, it seemed like its 'body' had disappeared. Only the black cape remained. Her teammates followed her action.
"What is it…" She said breathless as she looked up at satisfied blowhole.
"My dear, this is my little secret army. You are not going to make it alive this time so I guess I can tell you that, don't you think?" He replied.
"What makes you think so?" She said and stood up, wiping away the blood from her face.
"Can I invite you my friend? He has been waiting so long to meet you" Blowhole said and then from the shadows emerged a creature similar to the others, but it was higher, seemed more powerful, was holding a sword and in the other hand a spiny ball on a chain. Blowhole tossed a sword towards Katherine who grabbed it. "Let's see the great Katarina's last fight ever"
The dark figure threw the spiny ball at her which she dodged just in time, falling to the ground so it flew over her head. She rolled and jumped back dodging it again. There was no option to come closer. While her teammates were defending themselves from the rest of the ghosts, she concentrated on the leader. Impossible to figure out the weak points, neither to attack till it holds the chain.
Katherine was already weakened, constantly making dodges. She had to finally make a risky move, the duel already took long time and she was afraid to lose the strength. As she did the last dodge she jumped right onto the creature, stabbing her blade right into it. The ghost released the chain but nothing happened, an invisible power threw her onto her back to the ground and the creature hissed. The painful fall shocked her a little and it was enough for the creature to stab her stomach. She yelped but stood up, raised her sword and looked at the enemy. Just a detail, a small one that could help her to see his weakness… Then she saw a golden necklace that was hanging on it's black cape. She remembered the time that her master, Shinjin, has been teaching her how to fight with swords, telling her that one day she would need it. It was as if he has known everything, his wisdom was so unlimited. Now she realized his point and how grateful she was. She fought as hard as she could, the enemy was so quick. After several minutes the blade was in her shoulder, making the pain deeper, but as the creature stabbed her she reached to the necklace with her sword and cut it from its neck. The creature roared and it faded away. With a hiss. She was holding the golden necklace, that was decorated with some black stones, it looked ancient. She held her bleeding stomach and looked around. All of the creatures faded away. Her teammates were cowered with blood and tired like hell. She turned to Blowhole whose face looked puzzled.
"Give it back Katherine and I will let you and your team free" He said calmly.
"You lose Blowhole, face it" Kath sai trying as hard as she could not to show the pain. "Now what those warriors were? How did you…"
"I SAID GIVE IT BACK" Blowhole yelled.
"Oh, is that so important? That's a pity" Katherine smiled and tossed the necklace into her bag.
"It was your choice, farewell then, Katarina" Blowhole said as he pushed a button on his Segway and in a second he was gone.
Self-destruction in 10 minutes…
"Seems like we need to escape, NOW" Katherine ordered as they ran no one knows where.
"Is that the object we were supposed to get?" One of her teammates Anna asked.
"I guess it is" Kath said "This place is falling apart! I need options" The flames were everywhere, walls and ceiling were falling. Suddenly she felt so weak and fell to her knees.
"She lost too much blood, she can't make it" Katherine faintly heard Caleb's voice. She barely could see anything she could feel just pain. She wasn't even sure if she was picked up by someone. She heard screams and explosion.
"I will never forget you" she heard and recognized Caleb's voice "Sometimes it's hard to say goodbye"
"N-no Caleb… what's happening…" Katherine said with her weak voice.
"Let's just say, see you" Caleb said.
Katherine tried to see what was around her more clearly but all she saw was fire and
she was losing her consciousness. She closed her eyes , it seemed like she was falling but then felt water around her… she fell into the river. She didn't feel any part of her body, she couldn't move nor open her eyes. She didn't hear anything. She knew that she was too weak to save herself from drowning. She couldn't breathe and then she fainted under the water with her last thought that she was too weak for the enemies, she failed and death was kind enough to take her into its arms…
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.: A few weeks later :.
Skipper was sitting in Central Park. It was a late, warm afternoon of May. Around it was green and everything looked happy. The sun started hiding behind horizon but its bright sunbeams were still shining over treetops.
Nobody could be sad on this beautiful day. Nobody except for Skipper. He was leaning over a piece of paper which he was holding in his flippers. Though he already read the letter he was still looking at the last few sentences.
I'm so sorry but it's all what we've got. I know what you feel now and I feel the same. Loosing friends and families is hard but you have to hold on. Even though Blowhole escaped, it doesn't mean that he won't strike back. Be on your guard and don't do anything stupid. I'll tell you everything I will manage to find out.
Take care,
Nigel.
By the way, I send you something she gave me before her last mission, it was meant for you in case she… you know.
Dear Skipper,
If you read this it means I'm dead. As you know I had a dangerous mission but it was the last chance to see you ever again. I hope you understand. You know I did what had to be done and hopefully my death wasn't wasted. I haven't seen you for several years but you have to know that I thought of you every single day, and I missed you so
much but I am happy to know, that there are at least less enemies that could harm you.
Hey, soldiers don't cry. So I guess it's the last goodbye, I'm sorry that our last goodbyes were cold, I hope you forgive me for everything.
Take care of yourself and your team. And don't recall sad things of the past, the present is important and you have to remember this and move on. I miss you, goodbye brother.
Katherine.
Looking at this familiar style of writing was making even more pain. But he couldn't stop looking at this. It was the last thing which he had from her. He remembered when he was seeing her and they quarreled. Now it was the most regretful thing he's ever done.. And now he would do everything to see her again. She has always been a younger sister to him…
"Skipper, what's wrong?" Kowalski's voice tore him out of his thoughts.
"No. Everything's… okay" Skipper said and folded the letter.
"So, we can go and get the snow cones?"
"Sure. Let's go" Skipper said and forced himself to smile. Kowalski, Private and Rico walked towards a trolley with snow cones "See you, sister, somewhere in a better world" he whispered and threw the letter away. The spring wind carried it away… to the sky.
One day the secret of past will be revealed…
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Review please! :D